Word cloud designed via wordart.com When writing, do you find it hard to discover the ‘right’ word? I do, sometimes. In trying to improve my own work, perhaps I can help others. Today’s words: Unhinged/Sane, Uselessly, Until such time as, Uniform. Antonyms: words that express the opposite of other words can be hard to find, because …
Category: Fiction
Game Changers of the Apocalypse, by Mark Kirkbride: #BookReview.
Science Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic Horror 299 pages As far as I can recall, I’ve never read a book in the post-apocalypse genre before, so it’s probable there are recognisable conventions of which I’m unaware. That said, any book should generally be accessible to all readers if possible. This one took some getting into for me. Once I …
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Generation Mars: Video Trailer.
This brilliant trailer was produced by Ramon Marrett for Adiq, via my fabulous publisher, Fantastic Books Publishing. Enjoy. BLOOD RED DUST: As Earth plunges into total climate chaos, will new bases on Mars rescue humanity from extinction when religious extremists threaten to destroy them? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1909163635/?tag=stuartaken-21 WAR OVER DUST: Who will win on Mars when violence …
The #Write #Word? Post 52
Word cloud created via wordart.com Find it hard to discover the ‘right’ word when writing? So do I, sometimes. In working to improve my own writing, maybe I can help other writers. Today’s words: Shriek/Whisper, Spliced together, Stubborn as a mule, Science. Antonyms: words that express the opposite of other words can be hard to …
The Darkness Abides, by L. Harcroft: #BookReview.
Fantasy serial It’s difficult to know whether this book is experimental or just badly written. The sentence structure sometimes seems borrowed from the 19th century and there are many errors that should have been spotted in editing. The opening is a strange mix of intriguing detail and oddly expressed action. We’re given no clues as …
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Where Did the Hills Go?, by Lali Gupta Chatterjee : #BookReview.
109 pages Science Fiction When science fiction is written by an established physicist the reader can expect the science at least to be plausible. That’s the case here, even though we’re in the world of quantum physics, which is an area full of speculation and dispute, and much misunderstood by so many. The story here …
Continue reading Where Did the Hills Go?, by Lali Gupta Chatterjee : #BookReview.
The #Write #Word? Post 51
Word cloud created through wordart.com Find it hard to discover the ‘right’ word when writing? So do I, sometimes. In working to improve my own writing, maybe I can help you. Today’s words: Repeatedly, Regalia/Regal, Relative to, Review. Adverbs: words used to strengthen a weak verb, added to a verb in order to give it …
Water Entanglement, by Claudiu Murgan: #BookReview.
Science fiction is a broad genre, as is fantasy. Sometimes the two are mixed, as in this piece of imaginative narrative. The book deals with a scenario only too likely should we continue to abuse nature and the environment in the ways we have for the past couple of centuries. However, I have some concerns …
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The #Write #Word? Post 50
Word cloud created via wordart.com Do you find it hard to discover the ‘right’ word when writing? So do I, sometimes. In trying to improve my own writing, maybe I can help you.     Today’s words: QED, Question Mark, Quick as a wink, Queen. Synonyms are alternative words that have the power to convey exactly what …
A Place Called Schugara, by Joe English: #BookReview.
Every serious work of fiction should carry at least one underlying message. Some manage this with such subtlety it barely makes a conscious impression, others let it blare out loudly, covering their story with a condescending layer of preaching. Most lie somewhere in between; a reasonable balance of theme and story. In this extraordinary tale …
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The #Write #Word? Post 48
Word cloud via wordart.com If you find it hard to discover the ‘right’ word when writing, this might help you. Today’s words: Ordinary/Unusual, Obediently, Orenda, Officer, Antonyms: words that express the opposite of other words can be hard to find, because thesauruses usually give no examples. When lost for such opposites, if I can’t dig …
Pandora, by Joshua Grant: #BookReview.
388 Pages Horror/Action Adventure. Imagination is a crucial element in any work of fiction, and here it reaches new heights, especially in terms of human ambition and the lengths some will travel to fulfil it. This novel is a mix of horror, fantasy, science fiction, adventure and thriller. But, in merging the genres and developing …
The Golden Peacock, by Lauren B. Grossman: #BookReview.
287 pages Historical Fiction/Mystery, Thriller and Suspense A ‘thriller’ that actually concentrates on the characters, bringing them to life so the reader is eager to invest emotion and concern for them. In fact, this doesn’t read like an ordinary thriller at all. This thoughtful, evocative and moving book is a very good read. I read …
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Another 5 Star, Well, 5 Shrimp, Review!
It's always great to receive a positive review. This one is quite short, but says the things an author loves to hear. You can find the original here. # Ten Tales for Tomorrow Stuart Aken Rating: 5 Shrimps! Stuart Aken’s short story compendium Ten Tales for Tomorrow explores several possible futures. Speculative fiction often has …
The #Write #Word? Post 40
Do you struggle to find the ‘right’ word when you’re writing? Sometimes, I do, too. Maybe, in working to improve my own work, I can help you. Today’s words: Gaffer, Grow in size, Green-eyed monster, Genre, Synonyms are alternative words that have the power to convey exactly what you’re trying to say. Gaffer: Roget lists …

