Catherine and the Captain (Kindle Edition)
The Breadwinners (Kindle Edition)
Under the Amoral Bridge: A Cyberpunk Novel (The Bridge Chronicles) (Kindle Edition)
The Peacekeepers, Some Gave All. Book 2. (Kindle Edition)
PELGRAFF (Kindle Edition)
The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense. (Kindle Edition)
The Birth of the Peacekeepers. (Kindle Edition)
Ariana's Pride (Kindle Edition)
Pale Boundaries (Kindle Edition)
Of Love and War (Kindle Edition)
Pilton's Moon / Vengeance Is Mine (Kindle Edition)I found it to be an impressive debut...and recommend it heartily to any fan of action and science fiction. --POD People--podpeep.blogspot.com
It's a good book.--Chris Gerrib, author of The Mars Run --chris-gerrib.livejournal.com
Where do you go after you're torn from the only planet you've ever called home? What do you do when your new home despises foreigners? Who do you blame when they kill someone you care about....and how do you take revenge? Terson Reilly knew things would be different on Nivia. But he wasn't prepared for the draconian environmental laws, harsh population control measures or the prejudice against outsiders-and they didn't expect what he was willing to do to defend himself. Terson finds love when he meets Virene, an independent young woman chafing under the strict social controls herself. The couple do their best to conform, but their rebellious streak leads them beyond the colony's boundaries where their attempt to rescue the crew of a crashed spacecraft unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to expose not only Nivia's dark secret, but that of a powerful criminal organization as well. Share your thoughts with other customers: Most Helpful Customer ReviewsSince others have already done a fine job of summarizing the key points and character of the story I'll limit my review to the mechanics involved. Pale Boundaries is a story of intrigue, mystery, loss, redemption, discovery, cultural procedure, social maneuvering, and the power of the human spirit when everything else is ripped away. The characters are engaging without being prototypical with just enough development to make you care about them (whether they're winning a fight or being killed off). The weaving storylines are complicated enough to make you pay attention but never overstep their bounds by getting too confusing or unrealistic.
While some of the tech is as farfetched as photon torpedoes (it is Sci-Fi were talking about) most of it resembles items we use every day, and all of it is delivered with military precision and a sense of confidence that makes it at once recognizable and always believable within the context of the story. The worlds presented are lush and well concieved and presented in exactly the right amount of detail. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. All of this imaginative and thorough work lends to an atmosphere of authenticity and takes some of the burden off of the reader who is too often expected to accept a spoon feeding of nonsense while "suspending disbelief".
I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this reading and look forward to future installments. I feel safe recommending Cleveland's work to others, knowing that I'm helping to spread the word about an unknown but truly deserving author (just a little praise singing...).
P.S. Why has this not been picked up by a major production house? The checks would write themselves...
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Diving into an excellent work of science fiction can be like swimming through a sea of red tape; it's muddled, sometimes it can tie you down and be more than a little confusing, and yet, once you put everything together, you finally know the answer and the effort it took to get through becomes worth it.
This was my experience reading "Pale Boundaries" by Scott Cleveland.
In truth, this is the first science fiction novel I've read since my high-school love of the Cyberpunk micro-genre. At times I found it difficult to keep everything in order - the technical terms tripped me up occasionally and I found myself backtracking constantly, trying to stay the course and understand all that was going on - and because of this, a book whose length I can usually complete in four days took me a little over a week. Now this is not a complaint, mind you; in fact, the act of staying with a book longer than usual struck me as a cathartic experience. By the time I reached the end, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the mind that created the work.
"Pale Boundaries" is the story of Terson Reilly, a young pilot existing on a backwater planet called Algran Asta. The story follows his adventures - from his arrest on his home planet for smuggling Militia weapons, to his relocation to a gorgeous, sun-splashed world named Nivea, where pregnancy laws and environmental controls are draconian, at best. Along the way he works through the guilt of watching his friend back home die a gruesome death, finds love (with a refreshingly strong and intractable woman named Virene), begins a relationship with his probation officer, Malaan Bragg, a noble man whose ignorance of his own society's corruption will lead him down a rather depressing path, and encounters conflict when he and Virene try and rescue the pilots of a downed shuttle, only to discover that not everything within Nivean society is exactly what it seems.
Terson, himself, is a wonderful character. He is young and brash, following a common trope among science fiction heroes, and yet he is imminently faulted and damaged. He's prone to violent outbursts, wears his guilt like a designer suit, and is untrusting. His is a grand journey of self-discovery, awakening, loss, self-destruction, and revenge. The many scenes between he and Virene are beautifully portrayed, looping together their naiveté with their not-so-innocent animal passions for each other, bring about a sense of reality and crunchiness to the characters. If we've been lucky, we know the lust and dedication for each other they feel...and quite honestly, this is the sort of pragmatic relationship I've found lacking in many novels I've read recently.
Another character I found fascinating is Halsor Tennison (Hal for short), the facto leader of The Family, a criminal organization that operates out of Nivia's other large continent. The Family is, as we find out, the real reason behind Nivea's strict ruling guidelines, which all come about as a way to keep their pockets overflowing through illegal shipping of technology and goods and help to hold down a society of people who also inhabit the Beta Continent - an Asian/Japanese-like culture called the Minzoku. Hal and The Family are constantly at odds with the rulers of these other peoples. He is without a doubt the villain of the piece, and yet his character is fleshed out with as much caring and intensity as Terson's. In fact, more often than not, you can't tell he's the baddie, at all. When he falls in love with the niece of the Minzoku ruler, Dayuki, we admire and root for their relationship as much as we root for Terson and Virene. In fact, it can be said that Hal and Terson are meant to be played against each other in a literary sense; they are mirror images of each other, each possessing strengths and faults that the other doesn't, which suggests that, had their circumstances been reversed, they might have become each other.
The plot of this book is convoluted in the best of ways. It's rife with deception and backward dealing, and none of the characters are privy to what the others are doing, which makes for an intriguing read. It also has emotional threads that are surprisingly strong. When Terson suffers the greatest loss of his life, my heart dropped along with his. I saw him give up, and said, "I'm right there with you, brother. I'd have done the same thing." There is also an exploration of power and culture that makes this much more than a technological thriller. Author Cleveland disperses throughout the text little clues as to why humans have traversed space at all, why Earth is no longer their home, and it made perfect sense. The author has an insight into human behavior that allows him to create this fantastic world and make it, in every way, believable.
In this regard (and many others), this is a great book. I've said many times that genre fiction allows us to ingest real and potent problems under the guise of something strange and otherworldly, and Pale Boundaries accomplishes this in spades. From presenting the idea of environmental protection and its drawbacks when the fanaticism involved outlives its practicality to the dangers (both for the suppressed and the suppressors) of xenophobia, it yanks you into the world it's created and forces you to think about your own world. The examination of mob culture and how much sway they have on our everyday lives is also an interesting thread. All one has to do is look at the history of their own country (no matter where in the world they live) and wonder how much of their society's success and failure has been the result of the suppression and hegemony of some clandestine group. After all, conspiracy theories don't exist in a vacuum.
In all, I loved this book. Along with being a fantastic read, it is also the most well refined self-published novel I've ever read. The structure is near perfect, and there are scant errors or typos, which is rare in this new world of publishing. Actually, when I look back on it, I don't understand why this book wasn't picked up by a publishing house. With a near-flawless construction and a potent (and concise) storyline, I would figure it would attract the attention of at least someone in the industry. I emailed the author to see if he'd ever sent the book out to agents or publishers, and he replied that yes, he had many times without a single bite. This strikes me as both odd and disheartening. If a work as brilliant as this can slip through the cracks, it doesn't gather much confidence in the decision makers who put out books for the mainstream to read.
(As a side note, though, I feel I must mention the one problem I did have with the book. Although it is well-constructed and near perfect, I reached the end realizing that very few of the plot threads had been resolved, and there is another book due out in 2012 that will continue Terson Reilly's adventures. This, I feel, should have been known from the start. Unfortunately, it could turn off readers, and this is something that I would find a very, very large disappointment. So please, Mister Cleveland, tell us it's the first book in a series from the getgo. For this, I dock you (gasp!) one point in execution.)
So go out and purchase this book. It's a dense read, but well worth it. And perhaps you'll come out on the other side the same way I did; mystified, impressed, and feeling more than a little enlightened.
Plot - 9
Characters - 10
Voice - 10
Execution - 9
Personal Enjoyment - 10
Overall - 48/50 (4.8/5)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?In fact, I don't know that I'm even comfortable calling the novel science fiction: the adventure, detail, and high-seas action puts me more in mind of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt than any literary spaceman.
Reading time: One week at a leisurely summer pace (though maintaining that gets hard about halfway in, when the real action starts to build)
Recommendation: For general fiction readers, not just SF fans
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Scott Cleveland was born and raised in Eastern Washington. He got hooked on science fiction early in life and began dabbling with writing in high school. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Eastern Washington University in the early 1990s, and immediately pursued a career in electronic maintenance, which continues to pay the bills.
He currently resides in Washington State with his wife, Carol.
(What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.
July 4, 1943 – John Jameson is home from the war. The Fourth of July has always been his favorite holiday, but now he finds himself alone on the boardwalk in his New Jersey hometown. It seems like everyone he knew is either off to war or working in the factories producing the armaments of war. Along comes Julie to offer him a cold drink. Happy to have someone to spend the day with, especially one so young and beautiful, he accepts her invitation for a backyard picnic.
He has no idea what is behind Julie's seemingly innocent invitation. He has no idea that the afternoon will force him to face what he has lost and find his heart at last.
Also available in the anthology A Walk in the Woods with six other stories.
Margaret Lake has written a tale that is set during World War Two. But this story could just as easily have been set during any war. In that respect, the lessons learned about relationships in this book are timeless and universal. The sexual tension between the characters was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Yet it was always tastefully handled.
The surprise ending was a masterful stroke.
I highly recommend this read.
Sincerely,
Ricky Sides
I thoroughly enjoyed Of Love and War and will be buying more work from this author.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?So, if you need a romantic afternoon escape, you should definitely add this to your reading list!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?
I was born in New Jersey, but moved to Florida when I was 13. Reading has always been my favorite activity, even as a child. I've been downsizing and have probably donated 5,000 books in the past several years. I still have seven book cases crammed full and I can't even count how many on my Kindle. My other passion is history, especially English History. I think my interest really began when I read "Catherine" by Anya Seton. When the inspiration came to write my first book, I naturally gravitated to the Wars of the Roses because of that book.
My favorite author is Susan Howatch, my favorite book is "Outlander" and my favorite series is Harry Potter. I lead a Harry Potter book club at the elementary school and help with the chess club.
I'm still waiting for the rescue kitty lady to find me a kitty I can rescue.
var ivStrings = new Object(); var productImageJSdownloaded = 0; var productImageInlineJS = function() { initVars(0, 0, '','', '','','', 'ebooks_display_on_website', '{}', 0); setIVMouseoverEvent(); registerImage("original_image", "E:\DATA QU\AutoBlog Samurai\data\To Meet The Dreams\amz\51Jsj8BKT7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA280_SH20_AA258_PIkin4,BottomRight,-38,22_AA280_SH20_OU01_.jpg","When an ambitious young immigrant opens a bakery in competition with his vengeful former employer it is the beginning of a bitter rivalry that spans three generations of hatred, jealousy, passion and betrayal as the bakeries grow from small family businesses into large corporations.
It is New Year’s Eve 1924 and the fiery and volatile Charles McGill is devastated when Addy Brody, the woman he loves, announces her engagement to Lucas Connelly, his friend and co-worker. Charles drowns his sorrow in drink and seduces Hilde Richter, the unattractive daughter of a wealthy Durban businessman. When Hilde finds she is pregnant her father offers to set up the penniless Charles with his own bakery if he will marry her. Charles readily agrees and, unknown to Hilde, the two men draw up a contract. It is the beginning of a battle for supremacy between Charles, Lucas, and Miles Davenport, their former employer.
As the bakeries grow and prosper, acrimony begins within the families, pitting brother against brother, and Charles becomes increasingly dissatisfied, realising that success means nothing if he cannot have the woman he loves.
The story covers a period of sixty years and leads us through the fortunes, joys and sorrows, successes and failures of the three families as they survive the great depression, the war years and the isolation of South Africa.
Ms. Nicholson also writes about the personal live's of each family and she has done a wonderful job describing each and every character and their traits and it makes you feel like you really know these character's.
I haven't read such a well written saga in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed every single word written. Jan Hurst-Nicholson had to have spent along time doing a lot of homework with the research to develope such a great historical fiction story. I love her style of writing and will read what ever she writes. Jan has found a new fan for sure. I am a indie author addicted reader and I have found a gem in Jan Hurst-Nicholson.
I didn't find any formatting problem's or any errors in her book. Great job Jan
I highly recommend The Breadwinners
It follows the fates of a half-dozen families from the turn of the century to present day, as they all intertwine through, what else? Sex, money, and revenge. (I.e. The Good Stuff.)
The writing is clean, direct and moves very quickly, telling you the story more than showing it, describing characters rather than letting them reveal themselves (and pretty convinced that folks are either all good or all bad; not many shades of gray abound, and, when they do, they come a bit out of left field) but throwing in so many plot twists and turns that it really doesn't matter and keeps those e-pages turning briskly.
Considering the massive canvas she chose to work with, Hurst-Nicholson does a bang up job of keeping everyone straight and making it easy for the reader to do the same, from patriarch to inevitable illegitimate off-spring.
My biggest quibble - and this is purely personal - is that the author, who clearly knows a great deal about the baking business as well as life in South Africa - populates a book set in a country notoriously plagued by apartheid exclusively with white characters. (A few Africans make cameo appearances as workers and deliverymen, but that's it). Granted, that well may be the reality of the times. Wealthy, middle-class and even working class white families may honestly have never had any interactions with Black ones outside of brief shoulder-brushing on the job. But, it leaves the sense of only painting half a local picture.
Fortunately, the above are minor imperfections that can easily be overlooked. Highly recommended!
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Jan Hurst-Nicholson has been writing for about 25 years. Her articles, humorous articles and short stories have appeared in South African and overseas magazines and these were compiled into a book: 'Something to Read on the Plane' a bit of light literature, short stories & other fun stuff. Her first children's book was 'Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the missing canary eggs' published by Gecko Books, and was one of Bookchat's 1993 South African Books of the Year. This was followed by 'Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the kidnapped mouse'. 'Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the bottled bat' is awaiting publication. These are humorous, animal, detective stories set in a nature reserve.
'Bheki and the Magic Light,' which tells of a rural child's fascination with a torch, was published by Penguin SA.
'Jake,' was published by Cambridge University Press.
Born in the UK, Jan emigrated from Liverpool to South Africa in the 1970s. Her experiences moving to a new continent were the inspiration for her humorous novel 'But Can You Drink The Water?' which was a semi-finalist (top 50 out of 5000) in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. This began as a 13 episode sitcom, but when the producer could not get funding Jan turned them into a novel. This is now available on Amazon as a Kindle digital book.
Jan worked in the R&D department of a large bakery for several years, and this gave her the idea for 'The Breadwinners,' a family saga spanning 50 years and set in Durban. This is now available on Amazon as a Kindle digital book.
Jan has also written a YA novel, Mystery at Ocean Drive, which was a runner-up in the 2010 Citizen/Pan MacMillan YA novel award, and is now available as a Kindle digital book.
Jan's writing also appears in 'Edge Words' (20 stories from the Cheshire Prize for Literature 2006) published by University of Chester, 'Chicken Soup for the Caregiver's Soul' and 'Chicken Soup for the Soul 101 best stories On Being a Parent,' and 'Summer Shorts'.
Jan is a member of the South African Writers' Circle, and of SpeakOut, an organization that teaches public speaking (for when she becomes a famous writer!)
She lives in Durban with her husband, two dogs that are forever on the wrong side of the door, three elderly cats, and the occasional visiting troop of boisterous vervet monkeys.
Jan Hurst-Nicholson has not included an author picture in case it should put off customers considering buying her books, or disappoint those who have read it.
Alan McLean left the New Brittain police service under a cloud: he killed a man under questionable circumstances. His need to belong to something, anything, drives him to accept Colleen's offer of employment--to help train the Interplanetary Brigade--despite his natural disgust at the endeavour and his dislike for the Pagayans. It doesn't hurt that she believes in him where all others have turned their backs.
Though he signs on to train men in weapons and tactics only, he finds himself drawn into the conflict and his growing hatred of the brutal Damargs--as well as his unrequited feelings for Colleen--holds him on Pelgraff even as politics makes the prospect of eventual victory increasingly unlikely and his bigotry towards Pagayans makes equally unlikely a relationship with Colleen. Others may leave, but McLean is determined to stay to the end, however it turns out.
I immediatly bought all this authors books and He/She? did not disapoint. From the slightly disturbing to the awe-inspiring I have loved them all and can't believe these are not getting more attention. I believe they should be on the best-sellers lists. I hope to see them there soon, and I hope this author is a quick writer!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Tally another one and this is a winner.
Boulter brings the classic trope down to the personal level with his main character - Alan "Mad Dog" McLean. Starting with being drummed out of the police force on his home planet, McLean undertakes a journey of redemption on the battle field of a distant planet. The view from the ground blends personal with political, technical with tragic, and even manages to add a pinch of humor.
The story does have a couple of things that bugged me.
The Foreword didn't do anything for me and nearly made me put the book down before I got to the first chapter. If I hadn't already been a Boulter fan from reading Courtesan, I might not have pushed thru and that would have been a mistake. The story starts at chapter one. I thought the book should as well. I think I know why that foreword is there, but I don't think it's needed. Just my opinion.
McLean - as a character - is flawed, and that's cool, but he's also stupid and that's not supposed to be his flaw. Yes, he's a testosterone poisoned male at times, and I'm ok with that, but he hangs on to his bias and bile long after it seems appropriate. The change, when it comes, is abrupt and, while perfectly logical and handled well at that point, it jarred. McLean is also not a terribly reliable narrator - the limitations of first person point-of-view notwithstanding - or perhaps it's the "stupid" part of him that insists on missing the clues to the relationships changing around him. In any case, I found myself saying "Oh just get over yourself, ya putz!" to the character more than once. Eventually I realized that the only time I do that is when I care about the characters ... and that Boulter had sucked me in very thoroughly.
So, in spite of the problems I had, I still rate the book 5-stars. It'll be one that sticks with me for a while and one that I enjoyed a great deal.
This is a darn good "military sci-fi" yarn that focuses more on the people than the weapons, but works very well indeed. If that's your cuppa, then this is worth a shot. Grab a sample and see if you like it.
But.. I'd skip the foreword.
Thanks, Mr. Boulter, for another great read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?I love the quote that the author uses when he describes the book:
"I have often been asked, had I the chance to do it again, if I would. I have never answered that question and have ignored those who asked. But I answer it now. In a heartbeat. For her. I pay my debts. If she were to call I, and all the others, would answer that call. But she will not call; for she knows we have given enough.
Alan (Mad Dog) McLean"
Just read it.
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more. (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below. Catherine Neville was a sassy little girl full of spirit and bravado until the day a stranger invaded her home and her courage failed. Her spirit bruised and her confidence shaken, she fled from her nightmares only to be dominated by her demanding cousin, Anne Neville.
A dozen years passed. Catherine had made a place for herself within the confines of Middleham castle. She was grateful for the security offered by Anne and never realized that she was treated as little more than an unpaid servant. Now her precious world is threatened, by the same man from whom she had run so many years ago.
Kyle Fallon was a soldier in the pay of Baron Layne when he was sent to kidnap Ariana Devoe. Instead of Ariana, he found a frightened young girl hiding behind her mother. The fear in the little girl's huge doe-like eyes sickened him and he vowed never to prey on the weak and helpless again. He spent the intervening years making up for his misdeeds.
Now in the King's service, he is sent to inform the Duke of Gloucester of his brother's death. There he meets Catherine again, a lost soul if he ever saw one. He is determined to free her from Anne's clutches, but Catherine's tender heart can't believe that her cousin would use her.
Catherine knows who Kyle is, but he doesn't recognize her. Her obvious fear of him is a puzzle he must solve before he can win her away from the web of intrigue that surrounds her. As she tries to run from him, the handsome captain leaves her nowhere to hide.
Print length: 406 pages
I was born in New Jersey (practically lived on the beach), but moved to Florida when I was 13. Reading has always been my favorite activity, even as a child. I've been downsizing and have probably donated 5,000 books in the past several years. I still have seven book cases crammed full and I can't even count how many on my Kindle. My other passion is history, especially English History. I think my interest really began when I read "Catherine" by Anya Seton. When the inspiration came to write my first book, I naturally gravitated to the Wars of the Roses because of that book. My favorite author is Susan Howatch, my favorite book is "Outlander" and my favorite series is Harry Potter. I lead a Harry Potter book club at the elementary school. I'm still waiting for the rescue kitty lady to find me a kitty I can rescue. Share your thoughts with other customers: Most Helpful Customer ReviewsDidn't like it much. Two stars only for the historical detail of Richard III and his family.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?I liked the heroine Catherine from the beginning. Even though she lets others run her life and take advantage of her, she never feels spineless. She has grace and a huge heart, which really shows in her friendship with her Maid. That friendship was precious to watch blossom. She never looked down on Gael based on her social standing. Gael and her Gavin both are such great secondary characters in this novel, they are more like part of an ensemble cast.
Let me not forget another character I loved, Father Finlay :).
The Hero Kyle is a great fit for Catherine. Both are very duty bound and so it creates some heartache and separation along the way. Wonderful romance between them that grows more as time goes on. He makes quite the dashing Hero :)
I don't want to give to much away so I'll just say this book has Kings, Queens, treason, love, Gypsies and a lot more. Its a longer book at over 10000 Kindle locations and it still went by fairly quickly.
Only one small issue for me was that I think I would have liked a epilogue of sorts. Maybe that is just me being greedy for not wanting to leave all the people I got to know so well :)
I am not very good at expressing myself in reviews but I really enjoyed this book with its historical details and great romances. If I could give half stars I think this would be a 4 1/2 stars for me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Catherine and the Captain is a very engaging piece of historical fiction covering the short, violent reign of Richard III during the War of the Roses. The Battle of Bosworth Field, as recounted (and footnoted) by Ms Lake, was the decisive battle that ended the war, the House of York, the Plantagenet dynasty and the Middle Ages in England. I may have skipped a few paragraphs about fabrics and colors but I still enjoyed the book enormously. This is a must read for any fans of romantic, historical fiction and a good read for anyone else that likes a well told story.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? I was born in New Jersey, but moved to Florida when I was 13. Reading has always been my favorite activity, even as a child. I've been downsizing and have probably donated 5,000 books in the past several years. I still have seven book cases crammed full and I can't even count how many on my Kindle. My other passion is history, especially English History. I think my interest really began when I read "Catherine" by Anya Seton. When the inspiration came to write my first book, I naturally gravitated to the Wars of the Roses because of that book.
My favorite author is Susan Howatch, my favorite book is "Outlander" and my favorite series is Harry Potter. I lead a Harry Potter book club at the elementary school and help with the chess club.
I'm still waiting for the rescue kitty lady to find me a kitty I can rescue.
Artie Bridge operates in a grey zone, not necessarily breaking any laws as he connects the needy with their needs, but he certainly walks a fine line between living not-quite-like a criminal and dying like one. He gets embroiled in a connection which does not turn out as expected, needing to pull upon all his contacts and skills to make it out alive.
The story line was somewhat predictable, and some of the characters were sketchy, but overall this self-published work was well presented with few hitches. I would have liked to see it be a bit longer, fleshing out more of the interesting almost post-apocalyptic world the author builds, but at 99 cents it is not a disappointment.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?I found the plot to be surprisingly unique, along with its interesting setting of our future earth. The future in the novel is scarily realistic. I could actually see the U.S. turning into this world.
From the first paragraph, I was pulled into the story. The depiction of the very different futuristic society was seamlessly interwoven into the story. The cover states that this is a "Cyberpunk Novel." To be perfectly honest, I'm not really into all that new genre classification. I preferred to think of it as a science fiction novel, and a very good one at that.
Yes, there are a lot of references to computers and new technology. However, there was really only one scene that required any computer knowledge. Although, I didn't think that scene was done as well as the rest of the book. It was a bit convoluted with all of the "rules" not explained very well. The rest of the book is set outside of any "cyberspace" areas.
While I am not into political type books, this one had an entirely different take on politics and government. It was not an especially new concept, but it was introduced in an awesome way that kept me guessing until the very end.
Character Development: 4 1/2 Stars
Artemis, the main character, was really fun to read about. I loved his style. While I couldn't agree with his politics, or lack thereof, or his moral reasonings, he still remained sympathetic in my eyes. He wasn't particularly likable, yet I still found myself cheering him on.
Artemis' lady love was far less developed. She could have used qutie a bit more "page time."
The bodyguard was just a side character, yet he was my favorite by far.
Writing Style: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed the writing style of Mr. Ballard. The smooth sentence structure gave the story a good flow. The descriptions were excellent, with just enough detail. The dialogue was very realistic.
Not only is this novel well written and a joy to read, Ballard paints imaginative scenarios and environments that I can only hope are expounded on in future novels.
With a style that reminds me of one of my favorite books, Neuromancer, I can't wait to read the next installment.
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In the aftermath of the devastation of the United States rumors abound. One rumor is enough to cause the Peacekeepers to journey to Jonesboro Louisiana. Something is killing the people of that community. Some of the locals want to help unravel the mystery deaths, however they are hindered by some of their fellow townsmen. The hostile townsmen want to keep a town secret from being revealed. Can the Peacekeepers unravel the mystery before another person succumbs to the fangs and claws of the mystery killer?
A thousand outlaw bikers are headed for the small town of Alamo Tennessee. They are bent on taking hostages to use as human shields as they push through Peacekeeper territory on their journey south. Can the Peacekeepers prevent the mass abduction of city residents or will history repeat itself? Will Alamo spell disaster for the Peacekeepers?
Cover art by Todd Aune.
Edited by Frankie Sutton. 5-17-11
They only get better with each one!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Hey if you even half way think you like the sample. Then fork out the bucks and save. So many have that it seems to be the only way to fly. Unless you have a Peacekeeper car. I want one I want one Heck I just want a stack of metal and I will build my own magic flying carpet ride.
Ricky has to have been born and raised in the south. That is why we have a hero with the name of Jim Bob. No his name is not Jim Bob. It is just JIM.
Still it give you a pause.
On a personal basis I loved each and every one of the books in this 9 part series the action was always on the beat and the typos or mistakes were very minimal Yes I did find a few things like reading about the mans piers instead of the mans peers meaning his contemporaries. Still that does not take away from the whole experience of the reading of these great group of books. I loved them loved them loved them. It takes you from the days leading up to the Apocalypses and then to the years trying to bring about a recovery. There are starts and stops and false starts and stops Let us hope that it could be such a great help from technology.
All in all you miss this series and you loose a great read and some thought provoking ideas.
dray
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Act I - an old nemesis;
Act II - Circus Animals (and who doesn't like a circus?) and
Act III - a set-peace battle against the Marauders, only this time much bigger and badder than before!
We even get an upgrade to the Peacekeeper itself, learn a hidden new feature and have a primary new scientist join the adventure.
If you liked the first book, this is a good read, as it continues the saga without just repeating the story from Book 1.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Book Extras are community editable data which includes series information, character descriptions, important places, memorable quotes and more. The content is added, edited and maintained by Amazon customers and the Shelfari.com community.
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Ricky Sides was Born in Florence, Alabama in May of 1958. He has a wife named Sue that he married at age 18. He has one adult son named Larry Dale. The author studied martial arts from 1981 to the mid 1990s. He has been an avid camper and student of survival. The techniques described in his fight sequences are often from his own personal experience and training. He has taught women's rape prevention seminars in the 1980's that he conducted free to the public.
The author's writing experience includes the " Peacekeeper" series, the "Brimstone" series, "The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense," and "Adventures in Reading," "Claws," which is a suspense / horror novel that will ultimately serve as the back story for an epic post apocalyptic novel that he will release in 2011. "Claws 2. After the Apocalypse," and "Lina's Story," which is connected to the peacekeeper series.
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Jim Wilison: Martial arts expert trained in survival techniques. Superb marksman. Gifted martial artist. Tactical training for leadership. Sniper skills.
Patricia Huxley: 28 year old woman who was a Child prodigy specializing in computer programming.
Tim Wilison: 13 year army corps of engineers. Demolition specialist, pilot of small single engine aircraft as a hobby. Marksman, student of military battle tactics.
Lina: A free spirited woman dead set on exploring the country to see what is left. Rescued by Jim and trained extensively.
Lacey Carteen: A woman trying to raise her eight year old son in the post cataclysmic setting. Rescued by Jim. Learned survival training from Jim. Becomes a stabilizing influence in his life.
Evan Carteen: 8 year old son of Lacey who helps heal an old wound in Jim's soul and in the process make him a better man.
Pete Damroyal: Aging veteran of Vietnam war era. Sniper. guerilla warfare specialist. Organized large survival group in Chicago Illinois. Superb tactician. Hand to hand combat specialist. Leader of the survival group.
Maggie Peterson: An attractive woman in her mid thirties with short black hair worn in a short shag. Maggie had been a trauma care specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago who was known for her volatile temper and her at times unorthodox approach to saving lives. She had been brought up on charges upon three separate occasions for deviating from protocol. In each case her unorthodox approach saved the lives of her patients whereas following the protocols would have failed to do so therefore the Chief of Staff ordered the incorporation of her new techniques into standard treatment protocols.
I have enjoyed the Peacekeepers story through all of the books in this series. The story is aided along by earthquakes that are abnormally selective in what they damage and there is an improbable technology that plays a key role in the success of the Peacekeepers. On top of that the Peacekeepers are also almost too good to be true when it comes to their ability to overcome obstacles and defeat their enemies. This seems to even become obvious to Mr. Sides because he introduces a series of supernatural or least very unusual dreams and occurrences that allow the key characters to escape the consequences of life and combat, at least most of the time.
For all of the little nits I can pick over some of the storyline, Mr. Sides has written a pretty good action story with good characters and believable situations based on the world that he creates. I recommend that you be patient with him as he works you though the first few chapters of this first book. By the time you reach the end of this book, you'll want the second book standing by for an immediate start, and then the third. The best thing I can tell you about this series is that book seven ends with the door wide open for book eight. I don't know where Mr. Sides is going with this series, but I intend to go there with him.
The characters were believable and likeable. I especially liked the character Pete because he was depicted as an older and wiser man than most of the other characters. The character Lina was good as well. I liked the way the author portrayed her as semi-prepared to face the reality of the country under those circumstances.
I think that this is a good attempt by an author since this is his first published novel.
I live in the south myself, so reading a book that references the highways, and cities, some of which I'm familiar with, is of interest to me.
Being a martial artist with decades of experience in the martial arts I know that the author's martial art scenes are interesting and well depicted.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?I really only found a few minor typos, so I did not find any of these distracting.
Now, the women DO get pretty badly abused, except for one feisty gal. But, if you ever watch what happens in some of the lawless countries in Africa, or from some of the abuses women take in some Arab countries, it was totally believable.
I did find the language a bit more 'formal' than I was used to, but I attributed that to this being by an author from the South. (We aren't nearly so polite here in the NorthEast!). It reminded me a bit of the style of the old western novels.
I enjoyed reading the book, and found it more realistic than most of the self-published novels I've found so far.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?Book Extras are community editable data which includes series information, character descriptions, important places, memorable quotes and more. The content is added, edited and maintained by Amazon customers and the Shelfari.com community.
Shelfari is a community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers. Create a virtual bookshelf, discover new books, connect with friends and learn more about your favorite books - all for free. To learn more or to add Book Extras, visit Shelfari.
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The author's writing experience includes the " Peacekeeper" series, the "Brimstone" series, "The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense," and "Adventures in Reading," "Claws," which is a suspense / horror novel that will ultimately serve as the back story for an epic post apocalyptic novel that he will release in 2011. "Claws 2. After the Apocalypse," and "Lina's Story," which is connected to the peacekeeper series.
