Review_BLACK STAR RENEGADES by Michael Moreci

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35555969-black-star-renegades" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Black Star Renegades" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498811941m/35555969.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35555969-black-star-renegades">Black Star Renegades</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4611286.Michael_Moreci">Michael Moreci</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2384488220">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Review: BLACK STAR RENEGADES by Michael Moreci<br /><br />I love Feckless Heroes. I always have. (Perhaps I sense something of myself in them, though I'm probably yet to be a Hero.) Let me specify, Feckless Heroes are not Hapless Protagonists. Hapless folks are more like the Keystone Kops or Abbott and Costello, clumsily stumbling through life, luckless, sometimes Ill-fated, "born under a bad star." Fecklessness, on the other hand, indicates an attitude of irresponsibility, failure to adhere to society's rules and mores, an individual much like The Fool card in Tarot. Sometimes the feckless seem anachronistic or anomalous, born at the wrong time (or outliers). They're not ever in "the norm," but by golly, they are unforgettable. <br /><br />Quite often, the Feckless are successful (though again, not by Society's terms). Take our Feckless Hero, young Cade Sura. He's sure not anybody's idea of sturdy responsibility. But, he's going to save the Universe. Sheer fecklessness rocks.<br /><br />BLACK STAR RENEGADES is a roller-coaster-paced science fiction thrill ride, a novel I didn't want to see end and wanted to start reading again immediately. Cade's story is so much fun--even though I read heart-in-throat throughout. Never a dull moment!
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Review_REVOLT OF BLOOD AND STONE

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39304320-revolt-of-blood-and-stone" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Revolt of Blood and Stone" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521284236m/39304320.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39304320-revolt-of-blood-and-stone">Revolt of Blood and Stone</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14586355.A_J_Norfield">A.J. Norfield</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2419510414">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Review: REVOLT OF BLOOD AND STONE by A. J. Norfield<br /><br />This Grimdark fantasy novella put me in mind of the science fiction thriller (and subsequent series) RED RISING by Pierce Brown (which itself reminded me of both Antebellum Era America, and South African diamond mines). Life under the Stone King's reign would be sufficiently harsh if it were only confinement to mines slavery, with the occasional whipping, short rations, and oh yeah, dangerous cave-ins. But this kingdom contains rulers who are monsters in human form...and when oppressed by monsters, the choice is slim, between escape--or death.
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Review_SPACE COWBOYS; THE STAR GATE by Dean C. Moore

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40228840-space-cowboys" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Space Cowboys: The Star Gate (Omega Force and Alpha Unit 2)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1527531964m/40228840.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40228840-space-cowboys">Space Cowboys: The Star Gate</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7951313.Dean_C_Moore">Dean C. Moore</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2421740385">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Review: SPACE COWBOYS: THE STAR GATE by Dean C. Moore<br />(Omega Force and Alpha Unit 2)<br /><br />What can you expect from a Dean C. Moore novel? Guaranteed will be wild adventure, over-the-top action, characters whose personalities are larger-than-life (think superheroes if they were four-dimensional), not-too-futuristic advanced high technology, dialogue and narrative that, like the characters, are LARGER than life, almost over-the-top also! In SPACE COWBOYS: THE STAR GATE, you find even more: humour (often laugh-out-loud), secondary characters who are so out of the loop they function magnificently as foils for Our Heroes, spaceships, and ALIENS!! ALIEN ARTIFACTS!! GLOBAL DANGER!! I ask you: What's not to love? I can readily visualize this long novel as a long movie--but I can't think of anyone suitable to play these folks. So I guess I'll just imagine my movie version, in my head. Meanwhile, go carve out a block of time, turn off the phone and TV, disconnect the doorbell, and settle in for the wildest ride of your life. (Hope the premise never comes true!)<br />
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Review: DISCARDED by Michael J. Allen

Discarded by Michael J. Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review: DISCARDED by Michael J. Allen
(DUMPSTERMANCER BOOK 1)

A charmingly witty and delightfully engaging alternative-near future urban fantasy, this first in a
new series by a prolific author of both science fiction and fantasy is set in the Pacific Northwest, in a time of commonplace magic. Not common due to talent, but common because corporations subsume technology welded to magic, at a cost designed to make it accessible, while wielding ridiculously inflated profits. From the corporate standpoint, sales is the goal, not service, and consequences are no concern. The few with hearts who acknowledge the dangers either are wrongly accused, with long imprisonment, like mage Eli; or cower down to maintain employment, like Darrin. But stubborn Eli, determined to make his own non-magical way upon his eventual release, might just become a force to contend with after all. Thoth Corporation, beware!

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Review: GHOSTS OF THE SEA MOON

Ghosts of the Sea Moon by A.F. Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review: GHOSTS OF THE SEA MOON by A. F. Stewart
(Saga of the Outer Islands #1)

Reading GHOSTS OF THE SEA MOON is, truly, a magical experience, not just because the story line contains magic, goddesses, and gods. The story is wonderfully written and wondrous; the author has such a flair for imagery that is poetic and awe-inspiring. Many times I stopped to marvel and to highlight a particularly awesome phrase. I'm eager to continue the series. Generally, Fantasy is not my forte, but if I could be guaranteed novels this good, I'd be reading Fantasy night and day.

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Review_SHADOW OF THE DAY

Shadow of the Day by Nick Younker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review: SHADOW OF THE DAY by Nick Younker

A fast-paced and very complex futuristic novella with a hard-driving reader's hook and immensely powerful conclusion, SHADOW OF THE DAY is set some centuries into the future, in a horribly Dystopian society. (What good is amazing fast free data connection if the poor are non-citizens, deprived of all rights and health care?) I hope I never live to see such a Society. The cynicism is leavened by a strong, highly intelligent kick-butt heroine who carries the day through her intellect and integrity.

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Review_ELTHEA'S REALM

Elthea's Realm by John Murzycki


Review: ELTHEA' S REALM

A really exciting and engaging contemporary science fiction/Sci fantasy thriller, this novel had me quickly turning pages and I was immediately engrossed in the scary apocalyptic plot. Additionally, character evolution gratified and kept me glued to the page, wondering, "Now what? What's next?" right in company with the several protagonists. I look forward to the sequel.

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