One of the best things about independent publishing, is authors with really good ideas can get those ideas into print without hassling with convincing a big publisher to spend the money for an initial print run of an untried author. However, removing the big publisher also highlights a problem with many independently published books — all too often there’s no editor’s hand apparent in the work — leaving behind technical problems that detract from the story. It’s easy to understand why a fledgling author would skip an editor. For a full-length manuscript a professional editor can cost a thousand dollars or more, and many fledgling authors just don’t have that kind of money. But even with the expense, I wish more independent authors would have their novels edited. I’d be able to … Read entire article »

Imagine that the world has been changed in such a way that any traumatic incident might trigger permanent superpowers. That’s the world Hope Corrigan lives in, so when a terrorist bombs the bridge she’s crossing, she becomes one of Chicago’s most powerful “capes,” to use the slang term for costumed superheroes. , the debut novel by Marion G. Harmon, begins with a bang (the aforementioned bomb) and ends in tears. Along the way we take a fascinating tour of a few months in the life of a brand new superhero, codenamed Astra. We learn that it’s not all as wonderful as you might think to be able to fly, lift cars, have super-senses, and heal at many times normal speed. For example, you still have to deal with your family, your friends, … Read entire article »

I really wish I didn’t have to write this, because I’m really not a mean guy, but I think it’s my duty, so I’ll do it. , by J. Lawrence, has an interesting take on magic at its heart; however, the technical problems with the writing almost overshadow it. There are a dismaying number of grammatical errors and at least one huge plot hole that really made this book a chore for me to read, rather than the pleasure I was hoping it would be. I’ll start with the good points. The story is, at its heart, the familiar tale of a young man finding that he has magic and trying to cope with the consequences of the discovery. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a familiar setting and helps the reader get … Read entire article »

In my last review, I admitted that I was ready to dislike the book, and discovered I liked it. My experience with Trudi Canavan’s  was just the opposite. The reviews I read online said it was what people described as a “cozy fantasy,” and that was the sort of thing I was in the mood for, so I eagerly jumped in, only to be disappointed. The first half of the book is extremely repetitive. Once the initial set-up is completed, the story devolves into “girl on run from the Guild is hidden in a new place, she tries to control her magic, the magicians find her, she moves to another place,” lather, rinse, repeat. I get the idea of showing that she’s on the run and struggling with something she doesn’t … Read entire article »

I was, I must admit, prepared to dislike  by Karen Miller — in which case, you probably wouldn’t be reading this, given our unofficial policy of doing negative reviews only for truly terrible books. Both the Goodreads member reviews and those on Amazon had quite a few one and two-star ratings, mostly based around two complaints: a slow pace and an unlikable protagonist. I’ll be brutally honest here. If you’re looking for a story where there’s a magical or a sword battle every other chapter, this isn’t the book for you. If you’re looking for a happy-go-lucky hero who takes everything with a smile and a laugh, Asher probably isn’t a character you’ll warm to. There’s also an undertone of racial conflict, with the dark-haired Olken — including Asher — being … Read entire article »

One of the best perks about doing this is that from time to time I get asked to read and review a book that, honestly, I’d never have picked up on my own. That’s what happened in this case, and I am very glad it did. Through the kind meddling of Sarah Hoyt (hi, Sarah!), author Karen Myers sent a copy of both  and its sequel,  to our editor, taskmaster, chief bottle-washer and assigner of reviews, Patrick Richardson (hi, boss!). Pat, in turn, sent them on to me with the veiled hint of dire consequences if I didn’t do something about reviewing them. (Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little. Or am I?) Dire threat would suggest I didn’t plan on carrying it out. Dire promise perhaps… Ed. Anyway, I just finished To … Read entire article »