Posts

Posted on

#BookReview: Friends with Partial Benefits by Luke Young

Absolutely hilarious start to a story that will drag you in and make you want to follow these characters as long as the author will write about them. Quite a bit of sex, never quite explicit enough (in this book) to take it into erotica level – but Young absolutely flirts with that line between a hard R and an NC-17. DO NOT let younger teens read this, but HIGHLY enjoyable for anyone older teens and up.

This review of Friends with Partial Benefits by Luke Young was originally published on March 31, 2016.

Posted on

#BookReview: When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker

Wow! WRECKAGE- Bleeker’s first book- was more powerful, but that is the only book I can really compare this to – this book is *that* good. And it may even be as good as/ better than WRECKAGE – which is about the highest praise I can possibly give. Certainly in this genre, *possibly* in books in general. At first, you’re in it to see how Luke and family cope – you’re introduced to them on the first pages as they enter their garage after Luke’s wife’s (and the kids’ mother’s) funeral. While hints are dropped to the mysteries to come early, you really don’t get to the mystery aspect of this until around halfway in – then it starts building on itself, as Luke and family are finally healing enough for Luke to start asking questions and being more observant. From then on… watch out!

This review of When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker was originally published on March 28, 2016.

Posted on

#BookReview: Apocalypse Machine by Jeremy Robinson

A Kaiju the size of an entire major city – maybe even bigger. (Yes, you read that right.) Not a skyscraper ala Nemesis, but an entire FRAKKIN CITY. And one man is connected to it, thanks to helping a friend who accidentally stepped on a piece of it in Iceland.

Can he stop it? Can he even get to his family in time to at least be with them during the Apocalypse? Join Abraham Wright as he races around the world trying to save his family. See what happens when something that calls itself the “Machine” rises from the depths of the earth.

See yet another way humanity ends according to the mind of Jeremy Robinson.

The man that spawned a genre is back at it with his most ambitious kaiju story yet – and quite possibly his best.

This review of Apocalypse Machine by Jeremy Robinson was originally published on March 1, 2016.

Posted on

#BookReview: Clean Exit by Kent Holloway

Holloway does an excellent job here of using his day job to give his writing a degree of life that makes this tale special. With Ajax Clean, you think you know what you’re getting – a cleaner for the mob and the various crimes he has to cover up. What you don’t expect is the larger mystery and the various twists and turns it takes. Truly solid and truly enjoyable. And fairly fast – I finished it within about 72 hrs of starting. Maybe even 48?

This review of Clean Exit by Kent Holloway was originally published on February 27, 2016.

Posted on

#BookReview: The Pythagorean Solution by Joseph Badal

The overall story is actually solid. Former SpecOps guy looking to retire has a mystery and mysterious killers almost literally fall into his lap. Meets up with a cop and the murdered man’s family to figure out what the hell was happening and why – and get a bit of payback. Formulaic? Yes. But there is a reason why authors go that route – it is successful.

Overall, this was marred by one scene in particular that I *really* wish Badal had found some other way of achieving similar character development. Would be a spoiler to describe it, but suffice it to say that many females may hate that scene even more than I did. Other than the one scene – and he *did* attempt to make up for it by using it to further the characters – it really was an enjoyable, fairly quick read. I was 33% in and didn’t realize I had been reading that long.

This review of The Pythagorean Solution by Joseph Badal was originally published on February 27, 2016.

Posted on

#BookReview: The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson

This is a special 10th Anniversary release of one of Robinson’s earliest works, and even in this story you can see the promise of the excellent storyteller he would become. This was back during Robinson’s more explicitly Christian writing days, and he comes through with a fresh look at the single most famous man in history. The time travel aspects are also done really well, with a rare and fairly fresh take on the idea.

The original edition of this continues to be one of my favorite books from Robinson, and indeed it was the very first book of his I ever read – I’ve now read all but less than a handful. Yes, it was that good that it got me hooked for about four dozen books over the last decade. You really can’t go wrong with this book – even if you’re not a Christian. It is simply an amazing story that has stood the test of time. (And hey… maybe it could yet be used in his Avengers Level Event he recently kicked off in another book…)

This review of The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson was originally published on December 29, 2015.

Posted on

#BookReview: Patriot by Jeremy Robinson

Another solid entry in the tales of Jack Sigler’s journey through time. In this one, we first encounter a group of Americans searching for a treasure that can secure the fledgling United States of America in their war against their British masters. Soon enough, Jack Sigler shows up and the real mission is revealed. Good mystery, unique monsters, and the always great writing makes this yet another tale from Robinson (this time with Holloway) that you NEED to read.

This review of Patriot by Jeremy Robinson and Kent Holloway was originally published on November 3, 2015.

Posted on

#BookReview: Project Hyperion by Jeremy Robinson

In the latest entrant of the NEMESIS series, we FINALLY begin seeing some things set in motion that have been rumored and hinted at for YEARS.

Jon Hudson and family are out in the bay investigating a “sea monster”. Nemesis, now controlled by Jon’s frenemy ninja Endo, is recuperating deep in the ocean hundreds of miles away. But Nemesis senses something… the Aeros are sending in their vanguard, and she is the only being that stands a chance at stopping it.

And then Maigo and Lily find a giant robot – the very robot that killed Nemesis Prime centuries ago.

Nemesis and the robot – now calling itself HYPERION – must take on the advance guard of the Aeros as the Ferox race to get to Earth before the Aeros.

Earth is officially caught in the crosshairs of intergalactic war, and this is something not even the FC-P is fully prepared for.

Yet again, the Master out does himself. Robinson effectively created the “kaiju thriller” genre, and yet again tops himself. If you’re a fan of ninjas, aliens, kaiju, or giant robots, you’re going to love this book. If you loved Pacific Rim, you NEED THIS BOOK. If you hated Pacific Rim, well, this book does what Pacific Rim *should* have done.

This review of Project Hyperion by Jeremy Robinson was originally published on September 23, 2015.

Posted on

#BookReview: Herculean by Jeremy Robinson

In this spinoff from the Chess Team/ Jack Sigler series, we see George Pierce – best friend of Jack Sigler aka King – begin working outright with the Herculean Society, taking over from where the Chess Team left that group. In this first adventure, Pierce and his allies – several characters introduced in the Chess Team series, even if it has been a few missions since they were mentioned – begin encountering strange chimeras. As they investigate, they encounter the Cerberus Group as both organizations race for the birthplace of all monsters. Cerberus to unleash untold destruction, Herculean Society to stop them.

Yet another fast paced, surprising entry from the true master of the genre, you won’t be able to put this one down – yet you don’t have to read anything that came before it to understand and enjoy all that is happening here.

This review of Herculean by Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis was originally published on August 26, 2015.

Posted on

#BookReview: Hunger by Jeremy Robinson

Curing world hunger sounds great, right?

That is why I did it. I wanted to be the guy that solved World Hunger.

And I did. I used genetic modification to unlock so-called “junk” DNA in plants, and with this I was able to allow them to grow anywhere that had a permeable surface. Desert? Not a problem. Marsh? Not a problem. Mountains? Not a problem. As long as it didn’t involve steel, concrete, rock, or the like, my plants would grow.

Unfortunately I never really tested my breakthrough before it got out of control, and my boss never looked at my work either.

So I wound up causing the apocalypse by solving world hunger.

Oops.

Now it is several years after my breakthrough caused the end of humanity, and my boss is on the run. She still has hope that what little remains of humanity outside of our San Francisco complex can be saved. Me, I’m not so sure – but her bosses sure seem to be intent on stopping her for some reason.

How did we do it? How did we cause the end of humanity? Will she be able to reverse what I did?

Well, you’re just going to have to read Jeremiah Knight’s debut book to find out…

Note: Hate to spoil the illusion here, but just to be clear: I am a real person who is a long time fan of the author (as in, we met via MySpace) whose name the author used for a character in this book. The above is solely my own review, my way of trying to thank the author, who is easily one of my favorites.

This review of Hunger by Jeremy Robinson was originally published on June 9, 2015.