Let’s get it straight from the start; this is not a book about zombies. I say this to clear up any possible misunderstandings caused by a 20-page introductory chapter that is pure zombie. This generation’s version of, “then he woke up and it was all a dream.” Misleading introduction is a source of many bad…
Tag: amwriting
REVIEW
“Finding Penrose” by Paula Sheridan
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This book is Historical Fiction, meant to celebrate the life of a much-loved friend and relative. During this process, it also draws us into a society and teaches us the ethics and feelings of its people. The strength of the writing is the way it reaches into the heart and mind of the main character,…
REVIEW
“One Day Lucky” by D. Benedict Dold
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
We need a new sub-genre. Maybe there already is one. It’s for stories based on the supposition that at some time in the (near ?) future, people will be able to escape into a virtual world for long periods of time, trusting the corporation that markets the program to keep their corporeal bodies alive while…
REVIEW
“The Very Mad Science of Dr. Morcant Hollow” by Hamilton Kohl
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This is a very mad book in many senses. It is a light hearted spoof that maintains the macabre sense of the Horror genre by making fun of it. Be prepared for a complete lack of logic or veracity. The only connection to reality is that every event contains its own logic, however warped. The…
REVIEW
“The Battle Beyond the Veil” by Cassie Sanchez
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This book is a Paranormal subgenre of the Harlequin Romance, following a tradition stretching all the way back to Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, where twenty-somethings talk and act like hormonal teenagers. For true fans of this type of book, it comes off quite well. It starts off with an interesting and realistic spate of rather nasty…
REVIEW
“Discovery” by Louise McLaughlin
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This novel is a blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, with magic blended with modern science. It’s a risky proposition, but it would work except for the weakness of the writing style. Unfortunately, the author’s self-conscious intrusion between the reader and the story, making sure we get all the jokes by explaining them, rather spoils the…
REVIEW
“Navvy Dreams” by HMH Murray
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This is a difficult review to write, because the author has made a bold attempt at a complex writing style, and hasn’t been completely successful. To put it simply, he has tried to replicate the nuances of a socially and politically advanced culture, where the art of diplomatic conversation is paramount. This results in long…
REVIEW
“The Falling Sky” by Marcus Snow
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This novel is a Space Opera that transcends its genre in form and creativity, breaking all the rules and making it work. Let me explain. One of the main strengths of a good story is a main character who makes emotional contact with readers, drawing them in until they feel vicarious connection with the conflict.…
REVIEW
“The Demon Overlord’s Retirement Plan” by M. H. Foster
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Word has it that James Cameron summed up “Titanic” with, “In the end the boat sinks and everybody dies.” And then he proceeded to make an award-winning movie about it. This book has the same problem and a similar solution. Because we know from the very start that it has to be a happy ending.…
REVIEW
“Cristobal Ritter” by Mijo Rebic
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
This novella updates the old Noir Detective form with a modern and subtly humorous twist. The electronic cityscape blends in with reality, which I assume is the intended effect, but in places (especially flashbacks) the readers could wish for clearer clues about where and when we just jumped to. Except for that, the setting creation…