Having seen the Daniel Radcliffe film adapted from this novel, I was eager to read the book. In common with many readers, I generally find books much better than the films made from them, but in this case I was disappointed. The narrative is written in the first person and in the style of a …
Continue reading The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill, Reviewed.
Phew! I picked this up to read with my morning cuppa and couldn’t put it down! I’m glad I didn’t read it last thing at night: nightmares! Linda Acaster is a talented writer with a fertile imagination, which she puts to great use in this horror story. The tension builds from the outset, with small …
Continue reading Scent of the Boggel-Mann, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed.
What a read this YA fantasy novel is! The story follows the exploits of Christopher, a slightly damaged 16 year old, and his friend, the adventurous girl, Sama, as they battle incredible forces. There is a fascinating mingling of World War I times with the myths, legends and history of Arthurian Britain. How this connection …
Continue reading The Boy in Winter’s Grasp, by John D. Scotcher, Reviewed.
I Just had to post the link to this review of The Methuselah Strain, especially as the reviewer clearly understands exactly what the book is about. via Review of The Methuselah Strain (Stuart Aken ), reviewed by John Scotcher on Dec 2, 2015.
A morality tale? A parable? An account of a dream? This work of literature treats the reader to some subtle and detailed imagery as it progresses through the short tale. The female protagonist is fleshed out in enough physical detail to render her as a real woman in the reader’s mind. But it is her …
Continue reading The Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin, Reviewed.
This fantasy, featuring meta-humans, and told from the point of view of the female protagonist, is full of tension and action. But it is also a fascinating character study of a unique individual. The reader is given information through the unreliable narrator, who appears to be confused by what is going on about her. As …
Continue reading Alone (The Girl in the Box, Book 1), by Robert J. Crane, Reviewed.
A seasonal collection of fairy tales based on the well-known Christmas song, this anthology displays the author’s talent for putting her own twist on a popular theme. The stories vary in length and character and there’s something here for everyone. Characterisation is good and the settings work well throughout. Interestingly, although the tales feature well-known …
Continue reading The 12 Days of Christmas, by Maureen Turner, Reviewed.
As I contributed one of the 26 stories contained within the covers of this collection, I feel I can only make my comments public here, on my blog. As a reviewer who has signed the True Review Pledge, it would be unethical for me to review it elsewhere. However, I feel I have a right …
Continue reading To Hull and Back 2015 Anthology, Edited by Christopher Fielden, Reviewed.
Do you write reviews? Do you read them; perhaps use them for some idea of whether a particular book is for you? It's certainly the case that reviews are an essential element for indie writers to get their books noticed. So, as with all matters commercial, an element of fraud and cheating has entered the world …
Continue reading Honest Reviews
This novella, a mix of fantasy and soft science fiction, is a romance set in a dystopian society. Told from the points of view of the male and female leads, it manages to get inside both characters and express the experiences, emotions and thoughts of each. The book is one of a series set in …
Continue reading To Buy a Wife, by KC Klein, Reviewed.
This short book is a mix of fantasy and soft science fiction that works well. It paints a picture of a world both disturbing and intriguing. I suspect that the author will, or maybe has already, feature the world in further fiction. It certainly has potential. The story moves the main character through a learning …
Continue reading The Ships of Aleph, by Jaine Fenn, Reviewed.
This book, as the subtitle suggests, is the beginning of a story. For me, it is, as with so many 'books' in the current market, not what I understand to be a book. It's a scene setter. It follows a marketing technique that's been used in other industries for years but one I feel is …
Continue reading The Island (Part 1), by Michael Stark, Reviewed.
I gained this as a free download for reasons I can't now recall, but I would have happily paid the full asking price. Not all the methods propounded in this slim volume are new to me, but many are. And it's good to have the whole collection in one place. One aspect of the book …
Continue reading 77 Ways to Find New Readers, by Laura Pepper Wu, Reviewed.
One of my writing friends blogged about this book, inspiring me to obtain a copy. I'm glad I did. This is a straightforward manual designed to explain all that writers, and reviewers, need to know about Amazon reviews. The author is one of the top Amazon reviewers, so she understands the needs and concerns of …
Continue reading Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews, by Gisela Hausmann, Reviewed.
Fantasy embraces many styles, subjects and themes. This short is a great example of what can be done when a writer has imagination. It's a piece with charm. Amusing, insightful, and caustic, it pokes fun at the idea of leaders. There's some repetition, and one or two small editing faults, but these are easily forgiven …
Continue reading The King of Fools, by M.R. Mathias, Reviewed.
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Antidote to the Novel
Stuart Aken 