Necessary Evil and the Greater Good by Adam Ingle

31 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General Tags: , , ,

Published: 19th June 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: The Dead Regime
Pages: 280
Format: ebook
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review

For best friends Mestoph and Leviticus the end of the world can’t come fast enough. Mestoph is a demon and troublemaker for Hell Industries, while Leviticus is an angel and cubicle jockey for Heaven, Inc. They might be unlikely friends, but they have something in common – they both hate their jobs. 

Unfortunately for them The End is nowhere in sight. The two take matters into their own hands when they come up with a scheme to get themselves kicked out of the Afterlife without spending an eternity in Purgatory. Their misadventure will take them from the tiny town of Truth or Consequences, NM to the highlands of Iceland as they cross paths and pantheons with Neo-Vikings, Greek and Norse Gods, and a Scottish terrier named Sir Reginald Pollywog Newcastle III.

Religions and gods collide in this wonderful story filled with secrets, intrigue, and a surprising amount of reality. Ingle’s self published novel offers a side to angels, demons, religion and the afterlife that was not only completely unexpected, but also one that is clever and funny as well.

What seems like a simple plan between an angel and demon soon becomes a mass endeavour as plans go awry and there are morals and issues to contend with. You see the strength of characters in what they have to endure and through it all you get a great enjoyment and even a few laughs as the absurdities makes you forget the fact a serious matter is at hand and a lot is at stake. There are some wonderful surprises to discover as you read, not just the big ones, but the little ones as well. The unexpected nature of a character, the cameos and people who turn up, and even the language and dialogue can hold surprises.

One thing I did enjoy was the friendship between Leviticus and Mestoph. Their common goal and their long lasting friendship was a wonderful part of the story; not only in how they worked together, but in their conversations. What I loved was how Ingle has a way of making conversations between characters seem not only natural, but strangely realistic in unrealistic circumstances. Despite the nature of the story, the whole thing actually never felt unbelievable, there is a great realism in the story, something I was not expecting, but really came to enjoy.

Ingle has written a clever, funny, engaging, and fast paced novel that makes you laugh and makes you curious about the characters and the story but you cannot ignore the fact that there is a clear tampering with established notions of various religions. Some I feel coming across more positively than others in a few cases. There is a strong sense of irreverence throughout this book, something you can’t ignore. However being someone who is not religious I was surprised but not offended, but I know many other people have a strong belief or respect for the religion shown in this book and I can easily see how Ingle’s representation of key religious figures may not sit well with others.

While there is no slander per se, the representations of figures such as God and St Peter, as well as some of the events in this book are quite different than how they are typically portrayed. As I say, I really enjoyed it, I enjoyed that these figures were completely different than what I was expecting from them, even knowing the tone of the book they still surprised me. I loved that Ingle took such a chance in portraying them as he did, it only added to the story in my opinion.

In having the ancient and current religions collide there is a chance to understand more about the myths pertaining to each belief as well. As a lover of Greek mythology I was really impressed Ingle made a point to highlight the fact Hades is not the Greek equivalent of Satan. I also loved the explanation given about how each religion became and receded from being the dominate belief system. In that respect Ingle has developed a believable and understandable world and in doing so makes the events realistic in their own way.

Away from that there is a fast paced novel involving NeoVikings, and a Scottish Terrier called Sir Reginald Pollywog Newcastle III, or Sir Regi, and the two humans, Marcus and Stephanie, who must work together and trust what their angel and demon companions tell them. I really enjoyed each character, they were unique, and interacted with one another in a realistic manner, I did think though that Marcus and Stephanie did not get as much in-depth development as the others. They played their roles well, but I never felt there was a lot beneath their exteriors; even minor characters seemed to be more complicated on occasion. Stephanie is a strong character though who comes into her own and shows us a bit more of her personality, but given how well I felt Mestoph, Leviticus, even Sir Regi were portrayed, there seemed to be something missing with those two.

I enjoyed this book because it was funny, it had interesting characters, and there was an engaging and intriguing approach taken to the ideas of The End, religions old and new, and the light-hearted approach overall to what is naturally a sensitive subject. A new interpretation on what is clearly a current religion, as well as those from the past is always interesting if done well. Seeing how people interpret the stories and figures from not just the Bible but Greek and Norse mythology can make for an interesting story, something Ingle has done well. The frank nature of the characters and the storyline is one that makes the world of angels and demons interesting, modern, and enjoyable, and one that is not always so pious, holy, or innocent.

News

29 Jul 2014 1 Comment

by Amy in News Tags: ,

NewsI feel like I haven’t done a news post in a while. Quite overdue.

So I have been super busy, but a good busy. I have been flooded with review requests from authors and publishers and it’s been amazing. So amazing in fact that I am booked solid until September. So while I’ll still accept review requests, I will not be able to get a review up until September unfortunately. If that works for you, go for it, otherwise I apologise. I could say I’ll manage if I leave it open for August but thinking like that is how I just accepted another three requests and in drawing up my new reading order and plan up I’ve realised that I have properly reached my limit to actually read and properly review that many books in the next month. But we are not complaining, I have years of uni experience in reading two or three books a week and so we will be on top of it! So as much as this is a slight apology message, it’s a small burst of excitement about the fact I even have to plan so much to do this! I never thought I would even be in this position so I am just letting the excitement trump the chaos.

Away from the dozen books I have lined up I am also currently compiling a one stop page with all my reviews for easy access. It is currently still a work in progress but you can click on the link in the menu and see Toby in another smashing outfit until it’s finished. If I didn’t have 101 things to do I’d leave him up there and put off finishing the page just to enjoy his adorableness but I am looking to get that page up and running in the next week hopefully and tick off another thing on my to do list  so bear with me on that. I made it live but incomplete to get me to finish it, it had already been put off being created for about two months so that’s why it is there but not there.

Other than that not a lot has happened or is happening for awhile. The end of August is Book Expo Australia which will be a great weekend, very excited about that. I have a few author tours and things coming up but I’ll let you know about them as they come up on Facebook and Twitter, when they are closer. Speaking of, welcome to all the new likers and followers to not just the blog but Facebook and Twitter as well! Glad to have you along for the ride, I hope you enjoy your stay.

Anyway, I think that may be it, so it’s a short news that doesn’t reveal much but it’s one that’s made me feel like I am slowly organising myself and am not being crushed under everything. And as July comes to an end it’s made me realise it has flown by. June went rather slowly, but July, it wasn’t messing about. Suddenly it is almost August and that brings not just a birthday for yours truly but also the last month of winter. Where does the time go?

The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

28 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Birthdays Tags: , , ,

Birthday

Today is the birthday of the delightfully wonderful author Beatrix Potter, author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, and my absolute favourite story The Tailor of Gloucester.

Beatrix Potter was born Helen Beatrix Potter in 1866 to a wealthy Unitarian family. Potter didn’t have a lot of friends outside her family and she spent a lot of time with her parents and brother. Her education was done by a private governess until she was eighteen but she was taught multiple broad subjects such as languages, science, history, and literature.

Potter wrote twenty three books, each celebrating mature and country life and brought to life lasting characters such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Tom Kitten, and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and other wonderful characters each with a wonderful story of their own.

Not only is Potter a wonderfully storyteller, but all of her stories are told with beautiful illustrations she did herself. Her mother and father were artistic and she and her brother Walter Bertrum would often draw the various small animals they kept as pets. As a child she was given private art lessons and loved painting the natural world. I remember learning too that Potter was also very interested in biology and anatomy, and liked to see how things worked, which aided in her realistic drawings of animals.

Potter did not start as an author, but rather as an artist. Her paintings and drawings were not only of animals and nature but also insects, fossils, archaeological artefacts, and fungi. These make her recognisable by the scientific community, especially her mycological illustrations and research into the reproduction of fungus spores. It was from this success that Peter Rabbit was written and illustrated, first published privately in 1901 and a year later as a small, three-colour illustrated book through Frederick Warner and Co.

Potter wanted her books to be printed small, as she took into account the small child’s hands that would be reading her work. This is why those great mini Potter books exist, but are a little but rarer these days which is a shame. There is so much more to learn about Beatrix Potter, she was a fascinating woman who came from an interesting family, and her life is one that showed off not just her talents but her love of the natural world. She was a sheep herder and farmer, buying up numerous farms to preserve the land, and leaving most of her property to the National Trust upon her death.

Potter continued to write and design merchandise for her publishers until poor eyesight contributed to her stopping. She died in 1943 aged 77 from pneumonia and heart disease but her stories have lived on. There have been multiple adaptations and merchandise that keep her characters alive and will continue to do so for many years to come.

 

Published: September 16th 1992
Goodreads badgePublisher: Frederick Warne & Co.
Pages: 58
Format: Book
Genre: Children
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

Beatrix Potter has a wonderful place in my heart. I not only adored the tiny little books I read as a kid, but I had The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends videos and I loved them to bits. I know everyone knows of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, but I am going to review one of my all time favourite Beatrix Potter stories, The Tailor of Gloucester.

The Tailor of Gloucester is the third book Potter wrote, and was published in 1903. It tells the story of a tailor who must make a coat for the mayor’s wedding on Christmas Day. With barely a penny to his name he works with marvellous silks to create the finest coat for the occasion, all the while being watched by mice that live between the walls. The tailor frets over his work as he realises that he has no more twist of cherry-coloured silk. After sending his cat Simpkin out to retrieve some, who seems to return without it, the tailor goes home struck with a fever, unable to keep working.

As usual in Potter’s wonderful style, there are clever animals that are highly personified while still looking realistic. With the tailor being the key character there is still a lot of character given to Simpkin and the mice. Though interestingly the mice speak, but the cat does not. A curiosity I never really noticed before now. This does not mean that Simpkin does not get proper characterisation; he is a little selfish, a little bit sweet, and even a little bit filled with revenge, something that manages to add a lot of drama to this tiny tale.

In a way there are many similarities between this story and the Grimm Brothers’ The Elves and the Shoemaker, but I prefer this story. What makes this better is the tailor, he is such a great character, you care for him, and fear for him, and worry relentlessly about him and want him to be ok. You also chide Simpkin and love Simpkin and adore the scurrying mice that run from house to house. Also, I discovered something else wonderful whilst writing this review, this story is based on real events, though the mice were humans, but the sentiment remains!

I’m not saying that as I thought about this gorgeous book I started to tear up but I totally did and I think it is one of the most wonderful stories of Potter’s, it was certainly her favourite, and it is one that should be remembered by people more often; away from Peter Rabbit and yes, as much as I adore Jemima Puddleduck even away from her sometimes.

The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends did a wonderful adaptation of this book, like all the episodes it is quite faithful, and creative, and allows Potter’s characters to come to life. If you would like to watch The Tailor of Gloucester episode and have your heart moved and broken and warmed, you can watch it here. You can also read the story here.

 

Lycanthor the Werewolf (The Dragon Fyre Blade #1) by Aiden Storm

24 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, General, Junior Fiction Tags: , , , ,

Published: 1 July 2014
Publisher: Dreaming Empire
Pages: 71
Format: ebook
Genre: Junior Fiction/Fantasy
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Note: I was provided a copy for review

Thirteen year old Jack is spending the summer at his Aunt’s house in the country. Unfortunately, it’s done nothing but rain and he’s stuck in her old mansion without cable or internet. Bored and alone, he sets out to explore the house. When he reaches the attic, he finds an intricate and unusual mural painted on the walls. Life for Jack gets turned upside down when he stumbles and is transported through a portal into a magical world. 

914ldY8Ar9L._AA1500_For Jasyra, the daughter of the High King, life couldn’t be worse. Her father has been turned to glass, her kingdom has been taken over by the Demon Emperor, and she and her friend, Evooku, have been exiled. The only way to save the land is to reassemble the Dragon Fyre Blade, but the Demon Emperor has hidden all six pieces and each is guarded by great mythical beasts. There is only one person who can help restore peace, but it has been said that he is not of their land. 

When Jack awakens in the Great Forest of Karandur, he encounters Jasyra and Evooku. He discovers the only way home is to band together to fight the evil Lycanthor, a giant werewolf that guards a piece of the Dragon Fyre Blade. But first they have to make it through an enchanted land full of danger. 

The Queen of Light appears to Jack and delivers a gift, as well as a revelation. He, Jasyra and Evooku form an unlikely friendship along the way and lasting bonds are made when they realize they are Karandur’s only hope. Will the trio be able to defeat Lycanthor and save the kingdom from an eternity of despair?

Lycanthor the Werewolf is the first book in the Dragon Fyre Blade series and tells the story of Jack, a thirteen year old who has found himself in the magical realm of Karandur and must help save the kingdom from the Demon Emperor who has taken control of the land. The story that Storm has presented is interesting and has some great action throughout the story. It has the potential to be a great series but while the story itself was engaging there were some things missing and I felt it lacked the well rounded introduction not just a new land, but to the characters as well.

One of the things I noticed was that for some reason I kept forgetting Jack was supposed to be thirteen, I kept imagining him as younger. I don’t know why, perhaps it was the way he spoke, or how he thought; it didn’t have the voice of a thirteen year old. But I think this was due to the fact that there wasn’t a lot of depth to Jack’s character, or to the others really. There is a lot about the other characters we don’t know, and while Storm provides a little character detail for Jack and Jasyra, we know nothing about Evooku aside from a physical description. Being the first of six books there is a chance that more information will be revealed about these characters, but being a first introduction it seems odd that a little more wasn’t explained to Jack or to the reader, especially about Evooku who is a key character. Understandably, plot wise Jack does arrive in the middle of a quest as it were, but I felt he didn’t ask enough questions. And even though he has a revelation and understands more when he meets the Queen of Light, the readers are still left in the dark about certain things.

Aside from that the story is good, I actually liked how Jack came into the middle of Jasyra’s quest as they were hunting for the blade as it means there is action almost immediately, it follows on well from the prologue. The narrative focuses on a small period of time but makes good use of it, especially with the events that occur. Jack gets thrown into the world at a crucial moment and there is no time initially to stop and take it in and as a result we get to see him think on his feet quite well. Jasyra is also a good character; she is strong and determined and is the person who provides us with a little more information about their mission. Her attitude to Jack is one that starts off harsh but softens as the story goes on. I liked her because she has a clear goal in mind, and while Jack seems to have arrived and interrupted, she is not going to let him ruin her plans and she puts him to work almost instantly to help. Jack’s role in this quest is interesting. How he helps initially is based on the orders he gets and doesn’t come across as a prophesised saviour per se, but you can see hints of it develop as the story goes on, even if it is only slightly, and he soon comes into his own as they hunt down Lycanthor.

With his aunt’s mural being the link between worlds it is clear that Jack is the destined hero the kingdom is after, but this element is not really addressed once Jack is in Karandur. Before he lands in the world there is a great and very detailed description of the mural that creates a great image in your mind, but I would have liked a little bit more focus on the house and what the connection  was (if any) between it and Karandur. That may have been a personal issue though and you do get caught up in the story quite quickly to really get to think about it. Hopefully this is something that is addressed in later books though because it could be an interesting addition.

Overall the narrative itself is interesting, and I thought the writing style was suitable for the intended audience and the characters were intriguing. And aside from feeling a little let down by the lack of information in parts and some unanswered questions the story was still engaging and enjoyable to read. There is definitely the start of a good series here, one that Storm will hopefully continue to expand and develop on further as we follow these characters in finishing off their quest to save the kingdom.

Freak of Nature (IFICS #1) by Julia Crane

22 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, IFICS, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 9th January 2013
Goodreads badgePublisher: Valknut Press
Pages: 284
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

Note: I was provided a copy for review

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

*For mature teens due to some sexual content.

I really enjoyed this book. The story Crane has created and the characters and environment she has developed is one that is not only engaging, but also one that keeps you reading. I found it very hard to put this book down, always wanting to keep the story going, follow where the narrative was taking me and what these characters were doing.

What I often find myself thinking about with books is whether they are plot driven or character driven. I am tempted to say this is character driven, but coupled with this is an equally interesting plot. As you read you become invested in Kaitlyn, all her thoughts, her attempt to hide the fact she has emotions from those around her, and the conflicts she has dealing with her new technology filled body. You also discover Kaitlyn has been designed for a purpose, and we gradually discover what that purpose is. The balance between plot and character is excellent and Crane manages to use both to draw the reader along at just the appropriate moments.

The pace of the novel is well executed; there is a gradual build up filled with interest, curiosity, and even minor suspense. The narrative is one that while it seems not a lot is going on, a lot is, and as a result it pulls you along and you want to know what is happening, what has happened, and what will happen.

The narrative focus switches from Kaitlyn to Lucas on occasion, something which is also balanced well. You don’t need a lot of Lucas’ point of view to tell the story, Kaitlyn’s is the perspective that you want to follow, but Lucas provides readers with the other side, how people view Kaitlyn not just how she views and acts around them. One of the great aspects of Crane’s writing is how she has demonstrated the robotic aspects of Kaitlyn and how they conflict or differ from the human mind that has remained. The duality is clearly shown but there is no overload on technical aspects, but there also isn’t so little that you forget they are there or that make the story seem unconvincing.

What I enjoyed most about reading Crane’s story was Kaitlyn’s character. Kaitlyn is interesting because despite the fact she has emotions, she is not entirely human, there is a lot of technology that makes up her system and this is evident in her conversations with people, how she interprets certain situations around her, and how her body responds. She is highly logical and with the mind of a machine she is able to act and interpret things quickly, but there is still a part of her that is unable to fully grasp all of the human and social complexities. While she has the emotions of a human, she lacks the capacity to fully understand their meaning, and while she understands the language just fine, the confusion regarding colloquialisms and slang remind us that she is still mostly machine and that certain phrases and actions have no meaning to her. The best comparison I could come up with was it is like understanding the language but not the local phrases, while also seeing the entire human race as a foreign species. It is wonderfully done.

I liked the ending, it was a slight surprise but it made sense, it suited the story. It rounded off the entire novel well and leaves room to continue into the next book. Crane has done a wonderful job with this novel, she manages to explore a great idea through great writing and great characters in a way that even in the last few chapters keep you guessing and learning more and by the end leaves you eager to see where the next book will lead.

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