Journal

Review Request: By the Sea, by Steven Lamperti

January 27, 2021 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

I received this book for an honest review. All expressed opinions, cynical or otherwise, are my own.

The suspension of disbelief. Fantasy books live by it, and there is a lot that is often explained away under the dubious Deux Ex Machina that is magic. Pretty cut and dry. However, start tacking on sub-genres into your fantasy novel, or maybe dialing back the more magic-like aspects, and you will find yourself having to dodge extra obstacles to maintain that suspension. By the Sea, by Steven Lamperti, is a whimsical fantasy book that at times stumbles when it tries to run.

Rev Request: Witch’s Jewel by Kater Cheek

January 6, 2021 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

I received this book for an honest review. All expressed opinions, cynical or otherwise, are my own.

Something is missing in modern fantasy today. The lion’s share that forms the bulwark of the genre’s ground troops seem lacking – like they are missing an important piece of their equipment. As if in haste, they all decided to leave their helmets back home before they went a-sieging the castle. Oh, there are several of the usual tropes. Fey creatures. Magic. However, the stories lack gravitas; the weight that these otherworldly things should bring. And this is where I find myself with Kater Cheek’s The Witch’s Jewel (Kit Melbourne book 1). Excellently written, with engaging characters, but a setting where encountering of the unusual has all the significance of suddenly deciding to order a different cup of coffee.

Review Req: The Affliction of Praha, by Simon Gillard

December 7, 2020 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

I received this book for an honest review. All expressed opinions, cynical or otherwise, are my own.

Atmospheric novels are my bag. Whether it is horror, science fiction, or regular old literary. The Affliction of Praha, a historical mystery by Simon Gillard, has that in spades. But it is not perfect. There are tense issues, POV issues, and a smattering of other problems that are – naturally – exactly what I expect in a debut novel. Still, I am not one to complain too loudly over something I enjoyed.

Rev Request: Parabellum, by Greg Hickey

November 25, 2020 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

I love a good crime drama, especially when it is wrapped up in the trappings of literary fiction. I also enjoy complex novels. But it takes a clever writer, and a compelling “voice” to tie together a narrative such as we find in Parabellum. And Greg Hickey for the most part, succeeds.

Rev Req: The Name Of Red, by Beena Khan

November 18, 2020 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

I received this book for an honest review. All expressed opinions, cynical or otherwise, are my own.

A flawed heroine makes for a good character study. Tragic backstories, ill decisions, they can all work in tandem to make a protagonist believable. Except when they don’t. Since I am in Switzerland now, I think I will quote Paracelsus: “All things are poison…only the dose makes a thing not a poison.” That’s the problem with Red, the protagonist, and this book “The Name of Red,” by Beena Khan . Too much of everything, has made the story a poison pill.

Reviews: From the writer’s drawer

October 28, 2020 By S.D. Reeves Leave a Comment

Reviews. Authors need them, companies want to sell writers more of them. And readers? Well they just don’t normally want to bother. A lot hinges on that review count (and usually positive aggregate). If you are a gamer you might compare them to achievements – get the right ones, and you might unlock something special. Well that ‘something’ includes access to quality promotion websites, consideration from bloggers and the media, and in many cases direct sales. We will talk a little bit about it all today.