BEELITZ-HEILSTÄTTEN: Where Ghosts Never Die by Marina Osipova @marosikok #RBRT

 4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Timeslip terror, Pandora's Box opened...

A most interesting and unusual book.  Obsessed with seeing the place of her birth, a ghostly, derelict German military hospital near Berlin, Marion has no idea what will happen to her once she is inside, and what she will uncover, later.

I loved the timeslip element of this story, with Marion travelling back in time to the First World War, and finding herself working at the hospital as a nurse, tending to the injured men.  One in particular sends shivers of repulsion through her, though she doesn't know why; I liked how Ms Osipova endowed her with vague recollections about her life before, frustrating to her.  She knows something about various people, various elements of her life, but not what those 'somethings' are.  In the case of this patient, we know who he is, but Marion does not.

There are other truths to uncover about her present day life, as age-old documents are unearthed and she seeks the horrifying truth about the handsome young doctor she fell in love with during her dip back into the past, before the mind virus of Nazi Germany infected so many previously sane people.

This book is gripping, masterfully atmospheric, and unpredictable throughout - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Dark Presence by John Turiano

 3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Mind control, stalking and murder

Kimbra has not had an easy life, and in her job as a psychometrist administering neuropsychological and psychological tests on volunteers for a company called Quantum Thunder, it only gets more confusing.

We're provided with a fair bit of backstory on Kimbra, which is good, as one needs to know why and how she got to the point in her life when the book begins, with the murder of her former best friend is murdered.  Suspects abound; I changed my mind several times!

A new Quantum Thunder drug is being tested, to determine and influence the minds of those perceived as having psychic or telepathic abilities.  Kimbra decides to take it, which is when her life becomes even more frightening and confusing.

It's a good story and the writing jogs along nicely, making it a pleasantly 'easy read'.  I never really 'felt' Kimbra, though; the details are all there, but, as I often find with male writers, the male characters seemed more real than the female ones.  But that was okay.  She worked, for the plot.

I do have one negative comment, I'm afraid; the book needs a better edit/proofread as there are many, many run-on sentences (comma splices), and the punctuation is a bit off in places.  Aside from that, though, I enjoyed this story.

A STOLEN FUTURE by Georgia Rose @georgiarosebook

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I'd already read the previous books in the series

In a Nutshell: An antagonist who doesn't realise who he's dealing with...

Well, this was a fun romp!  Book 4 in the A Shade Darker series, which tells the individual stories of various characters living in the fictional village of Melton - this time we turn to Alice, the conscientious right-hand woman of the owner of a local construction company.

Alice's life seems, at the outset, closed and a little depressing.  She's a widow of not quite fifty, but gives the impression of someone much older, possibly living half a century ago.  She has given her life to her work, is liked and appreciated by her colleagues, but has nothing else in her life; she still 'talks to' her husband, who died when she was young.

Her world is turned upside down when her beloved boss dies and is replaced by his thoroughly objectionable son, Rex.  As the story moves along, one gets the impression that there is more to Rex and his mother's unveiled dislike for Alice.  Trouble is, they don't know who Alice used to be, or anything about her background.  That when she decides to take charge, she knows exactly what to do...

I had fun guessing possible outcomes while I was reading this (I was wrong, every time!).  It's very 'readable'; the characters are somewhat larger than life, and there's a darkly comedic air to the story because of this.  Nice twist at the end ... and so it all made sense.  A revelation!

LOCAL GODS by Mark Hurst @MarkHur41481024

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Recommendation

In a Nutshell: An assassin who needs to lie low discovers strange happenings in the village of Little Baddington...

Local Gods is a dark and terrifying little gem that I looked forward to getting back to each time I had to put it down.  London assassin Pete Collins allows personal vengeance to enter into his paid work, which does not please the faceless men he serves.  On the advice of his handler, he drives into deepest Gloucestershire, out in the sticks, to avoid any heat that might come his way.  

After a strangely cool reception on the night of his arrival (with the exception of new pub landlord Craig, who has made the mistake of trying to inject Little Baddington with the culture of Hampstead), Pete becomes increasingly unsettled by every experience in the village, and every local with whom he comes into contact.  And it's only going to get worse.  Suffice to say that Pete the contract killer soon starts to feel like the 'goodie'.

I love a story that surprises me all the way through, with developments I can't predict at all, and this was one such.  It's not a particularly long book, I imagine about 65 or 70K words (though I might be wrong, as the words do tend to whizz by when you're eagerly turning the pages!).  It's beautifully edited, with never a superfluous sentence, just the right amount of detail and atmosphere, with characters that pop into life as soon as they appear.  And the ending ... so, so good.  Really wish I hadn't finished it, though!

As is probably obvious, I highly recommend this novel.  If you're not the sort of person who spooks too easily...

MOMENTS OF CONSEQUENCE by Thorne Moore @ThorneMoore #RBRT

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member, but I'd already downloaded it anyway.

In a Nutshell: Short stories, dark themes.  Mostly.

What a treat this book is. It's not very often that you read a short story collection in which every one is a gem, but such is the case with Moments of Consequence. Every single one is beautifully written and perfectly plotted whilst wending its way down unexpectedly murky corridors. Some bloody ones, too, like the horrific Chef's Special, in which the main character comes up with an ingenious way of dealing with her staff problems, and It Was Late June, an every day story of country folk in a village that just happens to have an active Satanic society. These two are seriously gruesome, dark humour at its best. As is A Midsummer Nightmare, a brutal tale of revenge.

My favourites:

Dare Devil: about three students who, drunkenly, dare each other to commit the perfect murder.

Dances on the Head of a Pin: two time-lines, two main characters. One, in modern times, tries to interview random passersby about transubstantiation. The other, in the perilous days of Bloody Mary Tudor, is condemned for not believing in this (that the communion sacrament is the actual body and blood of Christ).

The Food of Love: a 'foodie' wife, who fails to see the the impact her obsession is having on her marriage...

Away in a Manger: about a homeless young artist, at Christmas time.

Piggy in the Middle: The story of Mary Bennett, the forgotten middle daughter in Pride and Prejudice.

As You Sow: A mother laments the choices her adult children have made, considering them a personal affront. I love stories like this in which the reader can read between the lines about what's actually going on, whereas the blinkered narrator cannot.

...and the last one, Footprints, showing snapshots of everyone who lived in a house, going back down the decades. I too am, as Thorne Moore says, fascinated by houses and the secrets they reveal. Footprints made me think of books by Norah Loft: The House Trilogy, and A Wayside Tavern.

All the stories are long, something to get your teeth into. It's stunningly good, all the way through. Highly, highly recommended - can't emphasise this too much!

THE SHADOW NETWORK by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I read all Deborah Swift's books, full stop!  Original discovered her on Twitter.

In a Nutshell: World War II espionage drama

The next in the series of Deborah Swift's excellent and oh-so-British tales of espionage and undercover networks during World War II.  The Shadow Network is particularly interesting because Lilli, the main character, is a part-Jewish refugee from Berlin, who falls prey to circumstances that lead her to take a major part in a 'black' propaganda outfit, targeting the German people and armed forces.  

This book has a particularly thrilling start, set as it is in Germany, when life was precarious for so many.  The pace continues throughout, culminating in gripping ending that made me wish it was a TV mini-series.  Ms Swift has painted a wonderfully nasty antagonist in the form of Brendan Murphy, member of the IRA.

As ever, the research is detailed and fascinating; Deborah Swift outlines the real story behind the fiction in the back of the book, and, once more, I wished I'd read it first.  I've no doubt that this novel will be as successful as The Silk Code - and I look forward to Operation Tulip!

THE SILK CODE by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: one of my favourite authors, so I always look out for new releases.

In a Nutshell: Code-breaking and dangerous espionage missions in WW2.

When I started reading this book I thought it might be a bit too 'women's fiction' for me - but I should have known better.  Deborah Swift doesn't write cosy schmaltz, but history so real it's like a window back in time.

The story is set in 1943 and entres around Nancy, a government admin worker solving radio messages from agents in the field, whose life takes a dangerous turn - and Tom, the innovative brain behind some clever coding systems.  Yes, they fall in love, but I wouldn't class this as a romance novel at all.  

During the first part of the book I was struck by how hard life must have been for Londoners during the war; my mother lived there during that time and talked about it sometimes, but this really brought home to me how little any of the people had.  Food, clothes, options...

I enjoyed reading all about the coding systems and the suspicions about who might be working for the Germans, but for me the book really took off in Part 3, which takes places in the Netherlands.  We can't imagine what it must have been like to live under Nazi occupation, but boy, does this book describe it in all its raw horror.  Ms Swift holds nothing back - a lesser author would have saved more lives!  It's gripping, tense, absolutely riveting.  Part 3 alone earns the book its five stars.

HUSH, DELILAH by Angie Gallion #RBRT @AngieGallion

 4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Suspenseful domestic violence-themed family drama

Wife and mother Delilah wonders if she will ever be brave enough to escape years of domestic violence - and whether she can discover the truth about the crimes she fears her husband may have committed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's so well-written and a real page-turner.  The portrayal of Chase Reddick's character is so typical of the misogynist violent male, and anyone who has ever been in a relationship with this sort of man (or those with addiction problems) will be so familiar with that 'waiting for the other shoe to drop' situation that Delilah finds herself in, every minute of every day.  The side-plot is interesting and convincing, and added another dimension to the story.

As with any tale about a person stuck in similar circumstances, Delilah's tale will make you want to scream at her to be brave, to take friend Carmen's offer of a way out.  The intricate way in which the author details her constant strategies to hide what she's doing from Chase is artful indeed, and also the confusion she feels when she discovers that Chase is sleeping with another woman.  She knows she shouldn't care, but an atom of jealousy creeps in, and meetings with the woman concerned only increase her feeling of inadequacy.

The reasons why the glamorous Chase chose Delilah are all totally feasible - aside from the immediate, practical reason, men like him often make a point, either consciously or subconsciously, of choosing women who will accept the treatment they are likely to dish out.  Why Delilah wanted Chase is also clear - the infatuation, obsession, lack of self-esteem.  The only question for me is why she had such rock bottom self-esteem in the first place - that she stayed with a man who made it clear to her that he didn't find her attractive (and worse).  Just a few lines to say something about why she was such a doormat would have rounded her character out nicely; I kept wondering, all through, if we were going to find out, maybe in flashbacks, about the relationship she had with Chase when she was younger.

That said, this is an extremely good book and one I most definitely recommend!  Only downside is that it's priced at £8, which may put some ebook buyers off.

EL NORTE by Harald Johnson #RBRT

 3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Fast paced organised crime 'on-the-run' thriller

Never a dull moment in this high-speed thriller starring Jager Flores, an eighteen-year-old who goes on holiday with his family (mother, father, sister) to a Honduran island, never suspecting that this will end in a white-knuckle-ride of a journey north to the US - or that he will be accompanied by Flea, a former gangster who wants to disappear.

Jager knows his father is involved with some dodgy people, but does not know to what extent.  

It's clear that the author has spent much time researching every aspect of with how migrants sneak into the US; the local culture and jargon is convincing, throughout.  I was fascinated to read about 'La Bestia', also known as 'El Tren de la Muerte (The Train of Death), the freight train used for the purpose of getting across Mexico for those who can't afford a smuggler.  

The plot is suspense-filled and unpredictable, as every good action thriller should be - the story is well put together, and definitely plot- rather than character-driven, though Flea and his gang at the beginning were very well drawn, I thought.

Unfortunately, though, this didn't quite hit the spot for me, although I usually love on-the-run stories.  I couldn't 'see' Jager; he never jumped off the page like a character needs to, in order for you to care what happens to him.  He is a schoolboy whose parents have seen fit to send him to a therapist and get him hooked on diazepam (Valium) because his personality is of the introverted type and he suffers from 'social anxiety', which apparently means he needs to be dosed up with strong, highly addictive medication.  However, within a couple of days of shocking, tragic events that give birth to his perilous journey, he throws away his pills and starts facing down gangsters, thinking on his feet in the manner of Jack Bauer, and becoming the de facto leader of small parties of South American undocumented immigrants.  I get that dire circumstances can bring out a side of a person that they didn't know existed, but it usually takes more than a matter of days.  I'm afraid I couldn't suspend my disbelief.

Another detail that grated was this: Jager's gangster father kept a top secret, wildly important document containing certain names, that must not fall into the wrong hands ... on a Google doc.  Surely a hacker of the type that exist these days would be able to hack into such a document within minutes?

To sum up, the story has a lot going for it, especially if you like non-stop action, but it didn't really work for me for the reasons stated.  Which is a shame, because I like this author's historical and time travel fiction very much.

BLACK ROCK by David Odle #RBRT #TuesdayBookBlog

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Small town thriller set in Indiana, with hints of supernatural.

 

The story starts in a classic fashion for this sort of tale - a family en route to somewhere else turns off the road to find a toilet and anything that might ease their journey on a dark and lonely night.  The scene is filled with foreboding, and sets the stage nicely for what comes next.

A curious fellow called Benjamin Clark is threatening the town's Pastor Thomas Loggins - he knows a secret from Loggins' past, and will reveal it unless the Pastor pays a terrible price.  Thing is, Clark has done this before.  More than once.  Going back many years...

Some don't agree with my theory that writing talent is something you need to be born with - you can hone it, develop it or ignore it, but if the talent is not innate, you will have a hard time delivering a story in such a way that makes people want to keep turning the pages.  Which is what it's all about.  David Odle certainly has this talent - the suspense worked so well, and I was totally invested in the story.  Just two aspects let it down, for me, was that it wasn't very well edited.  I felt it could have done with another draft or two, and a more eagle-eyed proofreader.  The other disappointment was the lack of resolution about Benjamin.  It's hard to explain this without giving the plot away, but I needed to know more about his history and motivation than I was told.

All in all, though, it's a good book, and I'd recommend it for the storytelling quality alone.

CONVERSION: THE FALL #1 by ST Campitelli @stcampitelli #TuesdayBookBlog

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter

In a Nutshell: Post-apocalyptic thriller set in Australia

The story begins a couple of years after 'The Fall', when Australia is already divided into warring factions - the well-defended 'wallcoms' - communities in which people can live a life that resembles the 'before', and those who have chosen to live outside the relatively safe walls.  Many of the original wallcoms have now fallen, overrun by the infected, feral beings with white skin.  Once bitten, it's only a matter of time before you become a 'jack'.

Then there is the Headhunter - the standard post-apoc psycho baddie.  A trope that never gets old - every book of this genre needs at least one!

The author concentrates on several main characters, each one of whom tells the story from their POV, always in the third person.  John Bradley is a regular guy who goes out with the scavenging teams, though wife Helen wishes he would choose a safer occupation.  Reading this, though, I couldn't help thinking that I'd want to do what John does, too, instead of hiding behind the walls in an illusion of safety.  The sense of adventure is full-on, with missions described in detail.  Anyone who has fantasies of living in a post-apoc world (that's me with my hand up) will be drawn to this.  

The book is plot- rather than character-driven, which meant that I sometimes had trouble remembering who everyone was, but the dialogue totally works and the writing is such that some characters were still three-dimensional to me: John, his mate Matt, rockers Skylar and Harley (loved them!), and the Headhunter.  I loved the inventive details about the technology, the spectacularly good world-building, and the chapters from the POV of the infected. 

Good stuff, post-apoc lovers.  Book #2 is also available, and I believe Book #3 is in progress.

THE GRIFTER by Sean Campbell and Ali Gunn #RBRT

3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: A multi-millionaire conman vs the homeless man he ruined.

An action packed tale about James, whose life was ruined by crooked financier Kent Bancroft, and his plans to retrieve his lost half a million pounds.  It's also about Kent himself, and how the life of a rich man does not always run as smoothly as you might think.

What I liked about this book:

• The structure - ever since reading Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel decades ago, I've adored alternate POV books, especially when, as with this, the lives are poles apart.
• The pace - the book marches along with just the right amount of inner narrative versus events - there are no boring waffle bits, the characters are well-developed, and all the backstory is nicely woven in at just the right time.  This is something that you may not notice unless it isn't right (like how you don't notice if something is clean, but you do notice if it isn't) - getting it spot on is an art.  
• The writing style - flowing and so readable, so much so that I wasn't tempted to skip-read even when I wasn't too sure about the content itself.  
• The quality of the research that had clearly taken place, about the financial detail, life as a homeless person, the art world and other aspects throughout the book.
• The basic storyline, which appealed to me as soon as I read about it.

What I was not so sure about:

• There were way too many errors that editor/proofreader should have picked up on, such as the phrase 'the gig is up' instead of 'the jig is up', Marlborough cigarettes instead of Marlboro, multiple instances of the word 'invite' that should have been 'invitation' (unlikely to occur at this level of society), numerous backwards apostrophes at the beginning of words. 
• I wasn't convinced that an exclusive gym patronised by the aristocracy would be called 'MuscleBound', which sounds more like an establishment owned by Phil Mitchell from EastEnders.  It's only a small thing but it really stood out to me.
• The story development, which I thought needed more thinking through; many developments/details seemed a tad unfeasible.  An example: a rich financier sharp enough to con thousands of people out of millions but doesn't have an efficient alarm and CCTV system at his house.  

To sum up, if you're willing to suspend your disbelief, it's a jolly good, fun book that zips along, entertains and keeps you turning the pages, and for this I commend it; being able to tell a story that amuses and keeps the attention is indeed a talent worthy of note.  Everyone has different levels of belief suspension, and mine are particularly low; most of the reviews for this book are very positive indeed.

NEAR DEATH by Richard Wall @writinblues

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter; I'd seen a few tweets about it from the author, then one day I took a look.

In a Nutshell: Murders most brutal, with a paranormal theme.

The story is set in the early 1960s in New York and rural South Carolina.  John Henry Beauregard, a Korean War veteran, is working as the chaplain in Sing Sing prison, when he is called to give last rites to Joseph Hickey, a vicious murderer whose crimes were so horrific that details are withheld from most.  Hickey taunts John, and promises that he'll see him again, even though he is about to be frazzled on Old Sparky.

As other similar murders begin to take place, John and his friend, NYPD cop Eugene, begin to explore possible theories that sound insane even to themselves.  They are both psychologically damaged and at times just trying to hang onto the threads of their lives.

I enjoyed this book all the way through.  Throughout the main story, mostly told by John in the first person, are short chapters that hint about why events are taking place, with the reader being left to piece it all together, gradually.  The pace and drip-feeding of information worked so well, and made the story a real page-turner.  Lots of unpredictable events; I do love a novel in which I can't guess what's going to happen.

The characters of John and Eugene were very likeable, as was Vinnie, the hard-nosed lawyer who flips the bird at convention and authority, and I loved the writing style, which was clear, simple and effective.  I only had one problem with it: 'black', as in the colour of a person's skin, was spelled with a capital B in most but not all cases.  I know this is favoured by the politically correct in this day and age, but it was not so at the time John was telling this story, and it looked out of place.  Similarly, John uses the phrase 'people of color', which was not introduced and popularised until at least a decade later.  I wouldn't usually nit-pick about stuff like this that wouldn't bother most people, but they really stood out to me.

Paranormal is not my usual genre of choice, but it totally worked in this story, seeming possible and believable, and I liked the author's take on what happens after death.  The book is clever, humorous in parts, touching, terribly sad and fairly brutal, with gory and shocking detail, so it's not a book for the faint of heart.  I'm very glad I stopped on that tweet, clicked the link to Amazon and downloaded it on Kindle Unlimited.  At some point I shall take a look at the rest of Mr Wall's work.  Nice one.

EVER WINTER by Peter Hackshaw @HackshawPeter

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

On BookBub

How I discovered this book: Amazon browse.

In a Nutshell: Post-apocalyptic survival/scifi/fantasy.

A hundred or so years after the big freeze fell over the earth, Henry and his family live on the now frozen Atlantic ocean.  They escaped from a community called the Favela (which I assumed to be in Brazil), and now live completely alone, seeing no one else.  Their trouble begins when, out hunting one day, Henry and his father find a man who has recently died in the snow.

This tale of survival under brutal circumstances had me totally absorbed at first, and I enjoyed the parts when Henry and his family find relics from the past, not knowing what they are.  The suspense builds in a slow, sinister fashion, as they begin to believe that they are not safe in their new home. 

Other reviews mention this being a book of two halves, and it is.  The first one is a post-apocalyptic tale of danger, survival, loss and the desire for revenge, and I loved it.  It's gritty and violent (warning: contains instances of cannibalism).  The second half introduces a robot medic from an abandoned ship - don't want to say any more because of spoilers, but I liked his scenes a lot, too; the interactions are great, and it's all well thought out and feasible.  As it goes on, though, the tone of the second half felt like more of a fantasy novel.

There were a couple of aspects I wasn't so keen on - the long dream sequences, which I've always found pointless in books and on TV.  Then, later on, Henry's younger sisters turn into Game of Thrones characters:  'I thank you, my husband, for bringing me to this place.  But Mister Lanner's presence upsets me.  I want his head.  Serve it on this table with the lobster, if you will'.  Where would they have learned to talk like this?  I also thought the editor could have lost some unnecessary dialogue tags (which dulled the impact of some lines of speech), and some sentences in which the author has told the reader how the character is feeling, though this has already been illustrated by his dialogue and actions.

To sum up: I liked it, and Mr Hackshaw certainly has talent; it's a most respectable debut novel and I'm sure he will go onto bigger and better.

APPARENT HORIZON by Patrick Morgan #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member. 

In a Nutshell: A man with nothing to lose.  

This was a terrific story, a most original idea that would make a marvellous film or miniseries.  Three friends, Michael, Drew and Aaron, get together on the eve of Drew's wedding.  Aaron, who works on top secret projects at NASA, tells the other two about a gamma ray burst that will hit the southern hemisphere the next day. He warns that it will quickly destroy the food chain, cause massive radiation and thus end human life on earth, sooner rather than later.  Basically, the world is about to end. 

During Drew's wedding the sky does indeed light up at exactly the time Aaron predicted, but the news media dismisses it as a harmless event, as he warned would happen. 

The story is written in the third person POV of Michael, and details his reactions to this news, and the effect it has on him.  Having always been an introverted sort of guy who lived a 'safe' life, he wonders if, now that there is so little time left, he can let loose a part of himself that he is not even sure exists. 

The characters are all clearly defined, and the dialogue is great—you know it's good when you don't feel as though you're 'reading dialogue', as I didn't, in this.  The plot itself is extremely well thought out, with plenty of surprises, though a few warning bells did ring for me early on.  On the whole I enjoyed reading it, though I found it somewhat lacking in suspense; there was too much 'Michael did this, then Michael did that'.  I thought some of the detail could have been edited out; a loss of around twenty-per cent could have made it sharper, fast-paced, more of a page-turner.  It just needed a bit more pizazz, to do justice to the excellent plot. I also expected a final twist that never came; okay, I'd actually decided what it would be, but this is Patrick Morgan's book, not mine!

This is a commendable first novel, and I'm sure that the author will develop his style as he continues to write.  Nice one.

THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey

3 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com

On Goodreads

On BookBub 

How I discovered this book: Amazon Browse

In A Nutshell: Post Apocalyptic thriller, with EMP blackouts, tsunamis, pestilence and aliens (yep, it's got the lot!). It is also YA.

I didn't realise when I bought this book that it's YA.  I've recently read other post-apocalyptic books in which the main characters were adolescent, that didn't feel YA at all.  It was only later that I looked at its categories on Amazon, and discovered the intended audience.

That having been said, at first I loved it.  Starts with Cassie, who is 16, in the later stages (the 4th wave) of the takeover of Earth by aliens.  Back to when they first appear - a ship, hovering near us in space for 10 days, while the entire country is in uproar about what it might mean.

The 1st wave is an EMP blackout that wipes out the electrical grid.  The 2nd is a spate of tsunamis around all coastal areas, forcing survivors into the centre of all countries.  3rd, a plague that wipes out 97% of humanity.  The 4th is discovered only gradually - apparent humans who are 'infested' with something that alters their brains to make them think like the aliens.

First we see what happens to Cassie, from the 1st-4th waves.  Next, a chapter from the POV of a teenage boy, who actually survives the plague.  Thirdly, one from the POV of one of the soldiers whose was impregnanted with whatever it is that the aliens put there - this happened 4 years before.  This part, in particular, I found most absorbing.

Then we go forward a little and find Cassie trapped in the snow, almost dead.  This is where the book fell down for me.  Her saviour just happens to be an amazingly hot-looking guy of around 18, who is living in a cabin alone.  Somehow, he has all the equipment and know-how to save her from certain death.  Despite them having lost everything, being in horrendous danger and, no doubt, deep shock, the two engage in flirtatious teen banter, and it becomes more like the sort of romance I would have abandoned even when I was at the younger end of the book's target market.  So I stopped reading it, which was shame, because the rest of it was SO good.  I might go back to it, and just skip-read the romance bits.  I'm not sure. 

I wouldn't normally review a book I didn't finish, but I am doing so because a) I had already set up this page with the links, b) the rest of it was extremely good, and c) it might help other YA writers to realise that 'teenage' doesn't mean 'unaware that developments are ludicrous'.  On the other hand, it's got literally thousands of great reviews, so maybe it's just me.  On the other other hand, some of the lower star ones also complain about the emphasis on the teen crush, rather than the excellent plot.  So maybe it's not.

 

 

SENTINEL by Carl Rackman @CarlRackman #RBRT

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member, but I'd bought it anyway, as I've very much liked other books by this author.

In A Nutshell: Government conspiracy/sci-fi thriller

This is the sequel to Rackman's Voyager, which I haven't read, but it totally works as a stand-alone; there is enough information about what happened before, without long, tedious explanations.  Could actually be presented as a masterclass in how to do this!

Former pilot Matt Ramprakash is now an aviation expert for M15, and, along with many from other government agencies, etc, awaits assitance from anti-terrorism body Sentinel in taking action on a hijacked plane - but who are the hijackers?  The discovery that his old enemy, the Triumvirate, are involved, leads him to Antarctica, along with Sentinel, his wife - and Mirage, a 'supersoldier' who has been genetically engineered - or has she?

As I was reading this, it occurred to me that Carl Rackman has invented his own genre - seemingly earthbound thrillers that end up being a bit paranormal, without it seeming weird.  Works very well!  The amount of research that has gone into this book is evident; it's highly professional, extremely well-written, and should appeal to anyone who loves an intricate government thriller.  With some alien stuff thrown in.  I read at the end that a third book is planned - I would love to see some of it from the point of view of the Visitors.  The ending was one of the best I have seen for this type of book—the sort that makes you want to open the next instalment immediately.

I felt it could have been edited down a little in places, with less factual detail and fewer conversational exchanges, to tighten up the pace, but that could be just personal preference; it's a smart, intelligent novel of which the author should be most proud.  And I know it's a cliché, but it really would make a fabulous TV series!

 

 

DARK OAKS by Charlie Vincent

3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In A Nutshell: Thriller, set in Monaco and Hampshire

When I started reading this book I was at once impressed by the writing style and enjoyed reading about wealthy doctor Charles Mason and his ritzy lifestyle in Monaco; there was a certain dry humour about his observations and the narrative flowed well.  There were a few minor proofreading errors which I could overlook, because I liked what I was reading.

Charles wakes up on the morning after his extravagant annual party to find that everything is not as it should be, in a big way.  The book then moves to Dark Oaks, his ancestral home in rural Hampshire.

It is clear that the author knows Monaco well, and I liked reading about the lifestyle, but there is a little too much detail that is not relevant to the rest of the book.  Throughout, there are long blocks of description, much of it superfluous, which is unbroken by dialogue and slows down the plot, not least of all a long paragraph describing the making of a sandwich, and a wince-making piece of exposition in which Charles has the phrase 'chop shop' explained to him, which is clearly only there to explain to the reader (I thought it unlikely that Charles would not have known what a chop shop was).  

The book is basically well-written, and the plot is interesting, but the structure lets it down.  The history of the family is told in backstory when Charles gets to Hampshire; an initial few chapters set in the past, at the beginning, would have set the scene much more effectively, and linked the Monaco and Hampshire sections together - once Charles got to Hampshire I felt as though I was reading a completely different story, with the sudden introduction of a number of new characters who had not been mentioned previously.  To sum up, there is much to commend about this book, but I think it could use a bit more thinking through and the hand of a good content editor.

 

 

 

THE ECHO CHAMBER by Rhett J Evans

3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: SciFi, dystopian techno-thriller involving AI and social media

What I liked:

• The author has talent; this a most original novel that makes some interesting points in an intelligent and well-informed fashion.  Basically, he can write good sentences, has a fine handle on suspense, and uses words creatively.
• It is clear that he really knows his subject: Silicon Valley, the dangers of AI and dependence on social media; how it is now so ingrained into our culture.  The Echo Chamber shows a good understanding of the future that is just around the corner, some of it already happening; the manipulation of our thoughts and prejudices by the media, the lack of security concerning the data we give out so freely, and its use by AI to re-order the population.  This is all stuff I love to read about, and some of which I have written about myself, so certain aspects had me engrossed.
• It is inventive; I was impressed by the world put together within the pages, and the insight.
• There are some great twists.
• It's well professionally put together, and decently proofread.
• The author has something to say.  This, I think, makes a novel more than just a story.

What I was not so sure about

• It's very technical in parts; as I've said, I have an interest in the subject matter, but some of it I found rather heavy-going.  I think that if you don't have a quite good understanding of new technology, much of it might go over your head.
• The structure: it goes back and forth between 'Before' (the collapse of the US) and 'After', with other 'Outside Time' sections.  I'm usually a fan of going back and forth between different periods, but in this case I think a linear structure would have worked so much better.  I kept enjoying the 'Before' parts, then being dragged out of it to read about different characters and situations, 'After'.  This hampered the flow, and made it definitely not an 'easy read'.*  I wondered, at times, if it was experimental for the sake of being experimental.
• The dramatic event and its fallout, when it happens, is dealt with so quickly - instead of seeing it experienced from character point of view, we are just told about it, in a brief fashion, by a narrator.  
• Most of all - there is little or no characterisation.  I felt as though the author had thought up a brilliant plot, but added the characters as an afterthought.  Mostly, they're just seem like names on the page, as vehicles for what he wanted to write about.  Only one is at all three-dimensional (Orion). 

This is a debut novel, and, as I said, I can see that Mr Evans has talent and a great deal to say, but I think he needs to take some time to learn about writing as a reader, and understanding that characters are central to any story - because readers react to what happens in a fictional world because of how it affects the people they're reading about, not because of the events themselves.  It does, however, have a few stunning reviews, so if you're madly into tech rather than people, you might love this book.


*When I was writing my novel Tipping Point, about certain powers-that-be using data given freely on social media to determine who would survive a virus, I originally used the alternating between before and after structure, until, during the second draft, I realised how frustrating it was to read; I'd be enjoying the build up of suspense as I was redrafting, then be taken out of it to read about a scenario months later.  With so many styles being commonly used these days - multiple POVs, both 1st and 3rd person narration, time-slips, etc, it can be easy to complicate for no particular reason; sometimes, the simple format of just telling a story from start to finish is the most readable.  Not always, but sometimes.

THE HUNGER by Alma Katsu

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read a few reviews of it on book blogs, via Twitter.

In a Nutshell: Fiction taken from fact - pioneers crossing America heading for California, in 1846, slowly realise that a great danger is walking alongside....

I didn't realise until I read the author's notes at the back that this is based on a true story; I wish I had known.

The atmosphere in this book is a such a winner, and the naïveté of the families who set out to travel through uncharted territory, from Illinois to California, is quite pitiful; they fancy they are setting out a great adventure, little understanding the size of America, the range of temperatures and terrains, the dangers they might face when trying to transport their families and entire homes through completely wild lands.

Main characters feature: Stanton, a lone traveller with a troubled past; Bryant, a man fascinated with the Native American culture; Tamsen, a dissatisfied trophy wife; Reed, a pompous former shop owner; Elitha, a young woman who hears voices, the sinister Keseberg, whose back story is flesh-crawlingly gruesome, and there are points of view from various others, too....

...in fact, there are so many characters that I sometimes forgot who was who, but the main ones were well-drawn enough for them to stand out, and I realised after a while that it wasn't absolutely essential to remember everything about a character, just because he or she had a name.

The party have started out too late in the season, and face many problems on the way, as, against advice, they take a route that is supposed to shave many miles off the journey, which becomes increasingly arduous ... and, waiting in the wings, is another danger.

I did enjoy this book, a lot, though I thought it could have done without the supernatural aspect, which didn't really work for me, and seemed superfluous, turning the book into a genre it needn't have been; the darkness of man himself was enough to add all the terror the story required.  However, this side of it is not too over-played, and I enjoyed it enough to buy a book suggested in the notes at the back - an account of the actual story, which Katsu used in her research: Desperate Passage by Ethan Rarick.

I felt that some of the individual stories could have been rounded off more (I was left not knowing exactly who had died and who hadn't, or maybe I just couldn't remember, because the dramatis personae was so extensive), but on the whole the ending was satisfactory - I do most certainly recommend, and look forward to reading the book mentioned above.

(note 7/5/19: Nearly finished Desperate Passage, which I highly recommend.  Had I read it first, though, I don't think I would have enjoyed The Hunger as much as I did; I would have been too irritated by the way Katsu changed the story and characters, and gave so little story space to what was actually the longest and most horrifying part of the journey.  To read The Hunger just as fiction, is probably better.)