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La Chimère of Prague: Part II (The Chimera of Prague Book 2) by Rick Pryll

November 20, 2020

Reviewed by Ray Palen

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and one of the largest and most bohemian cities in the European Union. It is important to have an understanding and a sense of Prague to truly appreciate this novel as the majority of it is set there during the late 1990s. Specifically, LA CHIMERE OF PRAGUE spans the length of August – December in the year 1998. Purchase Here.

It was not that long before the action of this novel that Czechoslovakia saw a schism referred to as the Velvet Revolution and later the Velvet Divorce which saw the country split into the new Czech Republic and Slovakia. Prague is found in the former and by the late ’90s became one of the business and cultural centers in all of the EU. Author Rick Pryll knows all this only too well as he lived in Prague from 1997 to 2002.

Someone who knows and understands Prague even better is the protagonist in this tale, Joseph. He is an American ex-patriot American now living and working in Prague. He is not only leaving behind the U.S.A. but also the memories of his late love. In one of the most interesting love affairs in modern fiction, Joseph was involved with a bi-sexual mermaid who died under mysterious circumstances. He still intends to get to the bottom of her death but for now, must focus on his own life and moving forward.

Joseph recognizes that change is good and not everything with his new life in Prague is bad. For instance, there is the young woman Karina who he also fell for. Karina is a waitress-turned-supermodel who Joseph felt he could have a life with — or at least some really great sex. Unfortunately, Karina left Joseph and Prague as she took off for Italy with her English tutor. As Joseph waits patiently for her eventual return he immerses himself in Prague and the family and friends he spends time with there.

Prague in the late ’90s was also a time of sexual revolution and pumping-hot techno music that seemed to stream forth from every nightclub. What will frustrate the reader is how Joseph seems to fend away love at every opportunity. Pryll digs deep into Joseph’s family history and past and it easy to know him deeply. He is an extremely sensitive and self-aware person and you are able to slip into his skin and spend time as a fellow American living in a foreign country that was still fighting for its’ own identity.

As a businessman, it is intriguing to see how Joseph feels about Prague and its’ efforts to become a player at the high finance table. In fact, the socio-economic status of this time is enough to keep Joseph occupied and forget about his love woes and constant mourning for the dead. That is until things take a turn and have him once again opening up old wounds from his past involving his deceased ex-girlfriend. You know that it must mean trouble when the only person who might be able to provide him all the answers he needs is named Naked Pete. It would probably be really cool to say you had a friend named Naked Pete, the only problem is he is terribly unreliable and never seems to pick up his phone when you really need him.

The characters in this story are all somewhat bizarre and yet very real. This is converse to the Prague that Rick Pryll has invented, a place that almost seems dream-like or taken from a fairy tale. With a central figure like Joseph, himself a fairly odd and deep-thinking character, Pryll has created a novel that grows on you bit by bit. LA CHIMERE OF PRAGUE presents a handful of problems for Joseph to solve and readers of literary fiction will be drawn to this narrative and find themselves rooting for him right through to the stories’ conclusion.

Dangerous Bureau by Roger Williams

November 20, 2020

Reviewed by Daniel Johnson

Dangerous Bureau is a book about monsters. Not the kinds of monsters that hide under your bed or in your closet – hopefully. This book is about the monsters that live next door. The monsters that you see on your television every day. The monsters that we all know are out there, but can never see until it’s too late. Purchase Here.

Roger Darrell Williams brings us the story of Tara Helms, mother of two, loving wife, and former computer hacker extraordinaire. Tara quit her job as a hacker to take care of her sick son, and aside from spending more time in the hospital than the mother of a small child should have to, her life was pretty good. Until one evening, when her little girl was abducted by one of these monsters next door. After that Tara Helms’ life would never be the same.

Williams takes us down a dark path as the abduction and murder of Tara’s daughter Cindy continues to pull her further and further into the abyss in order to take down the man who killed her child and the system that supports him. The monsters that fill the pages of Dangerous Bureau grow more and more revolting with every turn of the page, and the reader’s hope for vengeance grows stronger with each word.

Dangerous Bureau gets its name from the Intellect Bureau which is a corrupt organization within the government, striving for global domination and willing to employ the most sadistic monsters it can find in order to do achieve that goal. The Intellect Bureau paints a bleak picture of the world that we live in, with those in power being able to get away with whatever they want as long as they have the money to buy influence.

On the other side, though, the book also presents us with a message of hope. Hope that wherever monsters exist in the world, there are monster hunters working to take them down. The hope that everyday citizens will not let injustice go unchecked and instead will stand up to fight for good. The hope that even when things seem their darkest, the sun might just break through the clouds.

The Gene Rasp by Patrick McConnell

November 19, 2020

Book Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

A noteworthy excursion into the world of science fiction, Patrick L. McConnell’s The Gene Rasp renders the heart and the mind rapt with its exploration of the heart and humanity through the journey of the inventor of a phenomenal life-altering device offering hope to mankind for a future utopia. Purchase Here.

Fascinating from its outset, the story takes place in the future, with the autobiography of the central character Tom Spoon later known as Dr. Tom Maloof due to be published in the year 2165. However this is no ordinary autobiography because Tom is no ordinary person; as a matter of fact, he becomes the savior of future humanity as he invents a revolutionary medical device called the Gene Rasp which can alter genetics of individuals offering cures for cancer as well as many other diseases thusly making the road to immortality a little clearer.

Easily engaging, the story captivates as Tom Spoon charms readers into his world with a humble and comfortable tone, drawing rich images as he reflects on his life, remembering people, relationships, and experiences which affected his journey from orphan to renowned doctor. He recounts having grown up in an orphanage of which we learn that life for Tom was lonely as a boy, although surrounded by many others, he was different, as he struggled with dyslexia. Believing his brain was broken but determined to overcome his affliction, he yearned to be both understood and connected to something, he began to write poetry, heartfelt masterpieces which appear interspersed throughout the story. Tom grows despite dyslexia going on to accomplish much with his life. He wins a woodworking contest at eighteen, attends college, and later graduate school. Altogether Tom’s journey culminates into a hopeful version of an immortal future.

Entirely a very likable read, The Gene Rasp garners the attention with an intelligent and richly woven journey through a science fiction narrative. I enjoyed author Patrick L. McConnell’s efforts within this work as he successfully brought forth a story that was simultaneously thought-provoking and touching. In particular, I appreciated the refreshing inclusion of intermittent QR code scanning tags and URL links as well as the inclusion of the end of the screenplay for the movie version, all served well to enhance the reading experience by creating deeper interaction with the reader. Also personally, I think this would make a great movie and I look forward to more works by author McConnell. This is a read definitely worth adding to your science fiction collection.

Versus: A Tale of Zero-Sum Contestation by Simon Plaster

November 19, 2020

Book Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

Henrietta has embarked on a new career as a private detective working for FISSION FYI, which is located in Oklahoma City and owned and managed by Leroy “Lero” O’Rourke. Lero is busy with opposition research involving the Democratic and Republican candidates running for the office of the Governor of Oklahoma, so he assigns a pending acrimonious divorce case between Lilith Crammer and Adam Crammer to Henrietta. Randolph McCoy and Andrew Hatfield, who are senior partners in different law firms, represent the Crammers. They have known each other since elementary school, and the men thrive on a competitive relationship. McCoy and Hatfield adhere to opposing viewpoints in their political ideologies, and each one is a staunch supporter of their representative political party gubernatorial candidate. Along with them clashing politically and being on opposite sides in the divorce case, they are also in the midst of playing in an annual golf tournament. Both McCoy and Hatfield are not only determined to be the winner, but each man is also willing to stoop to deceitful and underhanded behavior for the purpose of one-upmanship. As Henrietta and Lero make headway in their endeavors, they are disrupted in their respective jobs by the ungentlemanly competition between McCoy and Hatfield. What will be the final outcome for any objectives set by Henrietta, Lero, McCoy, and Hatfield? Purchase Here.

Simon Plaster’s use of sensory language and literary devices conveys a vivid picture in readers’ minds and allows them to feel like they are right there in each scene experiencing what the characters are going through. Each character is instilled with their own unique qualities, and the distinctive dialogue of each notable character matches their vocal personality traits. Comparisons of characters in this wildly entertaining story to ones in movies and tv shows add to the overall visual impact experienced by readers. The scattering of strong language in the story fits in with the characters. Plaster has included song lyrics in a number of scenes, and they tie in marvelously with the text. The references to Stephen Potter, who wrote a book about gamesmanship, are very appropriate to the story.

Versus: A Tale of Zero-Sum Contestation is a great story in which Simon Plaster shows the disparity and distrust between political parties, the effects on the personal and professional lives of those involved in an all-or-nothing competition that has spanned decades, how stories imbued with truth and fiction can lead to unintended consequences, the lack of business integrity and its fallout, the negative and positive effects of competitiveness, the difficulties of separating the truth from lies, and the beneficial use of humor in some situations. Readers will also enjoy the political claptrap skillfully woven into this story. Plaster does an excellent job of grabbing readers’ attention from the beginning and keeping them invested until the end.

Brokla: A Tale of Things Falling Apart by Simon Plaster

October 27, 2020

Reviewed by Douglas R. Cobb

Brokla: A Tale of Things Falling Apart is the newest satirical, LOL book in author Simon Plaster’s series of novels featuring a small-town Oklahoman reporter known as Henrietta. As with other books in the series written by Plaster, he pulls no punches and he uses the actions and comments of his humorous, larger-than life characters to target several controversial topics that have been in the news in recent months and since the election of President Donald Trump. No topic is sacred or immune from Plaster’s playful jabs and satirical barbs, all related to the breaking apart of the social structure and very fabric of the United States. Plaster uses his large and motley cast of humorous characters to target subjects like the decline of TV viewership in the NFL, the resurgence of Feministas, the continued influence of the Antifa movement, the poor irrigation practices of Oklahoma panhandle farmers, the possible secession of California from the United States, the intense college football rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma and much, much more. Purchase here.

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The author’s female protagonist, erstwhile reporter Henrietta, started off in the earlier novels in the series with big ambitions, and she still has them in Brokla. She longs for the day when she will be assigned to writing the type of newsworthy story that could earn her a Pulitzer. At the start of Brokla, she thinks that maybe she’s finally hit on a story that is big enough and important enough to gain her the fame, and Pulitzer, she feels she richly deserves, when her boss at the local weekly newspaper, SCENE, Nigel Fleetwood, assigns her to cover a Town Hall Lecture Series where a certain Colonel Top Secret, a foreign government think tank expert, complete with a paper bag over his head, is speaking and prophesying about the future of the United States. A man Plaster calls “Agent X” sits at the same table with Colonel Top Secret, helping to interpret the foreign military leader’s dire predictions.

Colonel Top Secret, according to Agent X, believes that many things point to the inevitable disintegration of the United States, including “way too much government spending and way too much debt.” He points to America’s “inflated national pride,” and the country’s government spending three times more on national defense than China and almost ten times more than Russia. What concerns the audience the most is not that, though, but what Colonel Top Secret says about football.

Agent X says that Colonel Top Secret believes America “is now faced with the unkindest cut of all.” That is that, because of African American football players in the NFL refusing to stand for the National Anthem, attendance is down at the games, as is TV viewership. Agent X goes on, stating that Colonel Top Secret also feels that “College football, high school football and peewee football are fated to follow the so-called NFL onto the trash heap of history.”

This comment elicits moans and groans from the audience. The Oklahoma Sooner fans in attendance appear to consider that prophecy to be the most disconcerting and worrisome one of all the ones that Agent X relates. College football and the prestige of being in an important football conference and big time football program are paramount to many of the ardent Sooner fans at the lecture, so they are dismayed by the possibility that college football will follow the route of the NFL.

In Brokla, Simon Plaster satirizes many more topics and controversial issues than the over-blown importance of football to both the United States and Oklahoma and the possibility that the decline in football’s importance could lead to the breaking up of the country. One of the other characters Plaster writes about is Jane Burrows, the leader of the Feministas. “Calamity Jane,” as she’s been nicknamed, gains notoriety across the panhandle by leading an uprising of progressive women in committing acts like burning thousands of acres of farm land and castrating the hogs of pig farmers.

They are protesting the over-use of the limited water left in the Ogallala Aquafer deep underneath the Oklahoma panhandle area by the farmers there, and they want to rid the Plains of White Man’s idea of civilization. The Antifas mentioned in Brokla, who are also interested in the goals of Calamity Jane and her band of women, attempt to join up with them. They are told they can participate, if they sleep far enough away from the women that Burrows leads.

Brokla is a humorous and thought-provoking read that can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. The other books in the series that features reporter Henrietta, like Spot and BOO!, are also terrific and fun books to read. If you like reading satirical books, I’d highly recommend checking out Brokla and the other novels written by Simon Plaster, one of America’s foremost authors of the genre.

Tunnels & Caves by Robert Haydon

October 27, 2020

Book Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

Kelly Wren and Angie Morrison are in a serious romantic relationship. They co-own a farm in Willow Creek, a rural town in Texas. Wren is a former sheriff who works on cold cases along with retired detective Wayne Tolleson for the Austin Police Department. Morrison unofficially helps with the investigations, which involve three cold cases: the double murder of a man and his girlfriend, the murder of a teenage girl, and the disappearance of a college student and her boyfriend. While Morrison devotes time to aid Wren and Tolleson, she also oversees the day-to-day running of the successful farm business and deals with a stalker. Wren and Tolleson end up in dangerous and life-threatening situations while pursuing satisfactory resolutions to the unsolved crimes. Will they be successful, or will the criminals get away with their abhorrent behavior? As Morrison’s stalker escalates to more intrusive and threatening behavior, will Morrison become the victor and not the victim? Purchase Here.

Robert Haydon has written a great mystery novel with twists and turns that transports readers directly into each scene and keeps them invested in turning the pages. Witty banter, camaraderie, romantic chemistry, skillful investigating, gun battles, and farm chores are integral to this aptly titled book, Tunnels & Caves, in which police detectives face challenges while trying to solve difficult and unsolved crimes. While the detectives work hard at solving the cold cases, other situations arise that are key to the overall story arc such as a train derailment with the escape of wild animals into the countryside, a murderous criminal on the run, and a stalker with a devious plan. Readers get to see firsthand the strategies law enforcement officials use in their efforts not only to try and find answers for survivors but also to identify the guilty parties.

Haydon has created true-to-life characters with personality traits that are unique to each individual, and all of their reactions and behaviors are believable in the situations they find themselves. Carefully crafted dialogue tailored to fit the characters brings them to life and engages readers by making them feel immersed in the fictional world Haydon created. The investigation takes Wren, Tolleson, and Morrison to a number of locations, and strong descriptive writing evokes a powerful sense of place. Tension and suspense are seamlessly woven together and builds up as the story progresses leading to readers being on tenterhooks until the final outcome. A captivating and riveting mystery penned by Haydon that gets readers so invested in the story they will not want to put the book down until it is finished. Tunnels & Caves does not follow the standard book format. There is no title page, the text is double-spaced, the chapters do not start on a new page, and there are no page numbers. However, this does not detract in any way from the quality of the writing and the overall enjoyable reading experience.

Learning to Quit: How to Stop Smoking and Live Nicotine Free by Suzanne Harris R.N. and Paul Brunetta MD

October 23, 2020

Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

Often easier said than done, quitting smoking can be one of the more daunting experiences that someone can face in life and while there is an abundance of guides on the market, it may seem like when you have read one, you read them all. However, within the text of Learning to Quit: How to stop Smoking and Live Nicotine Free, readers/potential quitters become empowered by virtue of its expert authors, encouraging tone, motivational success stories, a bevy of resources and easy to manage exercises. Co-authored by Suzanne Harris R.N. and Paul Brunetta MD, this book is more than just another guide to quitting smoking; it is more like the bible for quitting smoking. Purchase Here.

Overall, the book presents a full-spectrum view of the multilayered and quietly intimate process of taking back your life from smoking. Both well-written and thoroughly organized, the book text is divided into two halves; the first half of which explores and delves deeply into an intriguing series of questions concerning smoking which also are the same questions that smokers looking to quit should challenge themselves with answering; for example, Chapter 1 queries “What Moves You to be a Non-Smoker? ” followed by an overview of the issue and original documented experiences told from the experiences of several past patients. The connection to their struggles comes easily as their stories ring as relatable, candid, and insightful with the ultimate outcome of their eventual successes bearing a gift of motivation.

Also, there are included pictures of the patients which adds an additional dimension of realism to their included testimonies. Each chapter ends with a reiteration of key points, action steps and also includes a space for personal notes. Additionally, within this half of the book, Chapters 9 and 10, amply provide a blueprint to be implemented for embarking on your personal smoking cessation sojourn.

Consequently, as a whole Learning to Quit: How to Stop Smoking and Live Nicotine Free brims with inspiration and powerfully important information presented in an attention-grabbing multi -perspective view of a life-threatening habit that to some (myself included) seems almost impossible to overcome. Entirely, this was not only an intriguing read but a necessary read for any smoker period. As you move through the content, your mindset becomes altered as you stop and take pause while wallowing in the fact that when you smoke, you have lost authority over yourself, your life and your health. Anytime is a good time to start taking it back, as a matter of fact, the sooner the better as proven by the many success stories within the book, including the authors. One aspect of the book that I found particularly interesting was the poignant look at the difference between fear-based and desire-based motivation. Also, the authors offer access to a multitude of helpful resources through their website Learningtoquit.com. Ultimately, this book is a must-have for anyone thinking about or determined to quit. It is an eye-opening and mind-altering call to take back your power.

Guess Who by Nesly Clerge and Joyce L. Shafer

October 22, 2020

Who’s There? A Collection of Stories by Dimos Rio

October 22, 2020

Book Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

Offering horror fans, a literate concoction of brief yet creatively posed stories woven with a supernatural bent throughout, Who’s There? by author Dimas Rio does well to stimulate the imagination with his collection of Asian culture-centric, eclectic shorts each sure to pique the interest as well as tingle the spine. Purchase Here.

Firstly, Author Dimas beguiles the reader with solid storytelling with the title story, Who’s There? which is also my personal favorite. This well-honed tale brings the reader along on a creepy journey through the guilt-ridden conscience of an alcoholic, drug-addicted and particularly egocentric man whose dark psyche leads him into the cold wet embrace of his fiancé.

Continuing the chills is story 2, titled At Dusk within which a high school magazine reporter embarks on an assignment to interview a celebrity mystery writer who shares the ultimate ghost story to his captive, and earnest yet unsuspecting audience of one.
Next, story 3 The Wandering entangles with horror as a forgotten lover comes from the grave to visit bringing retribution in red.
Then story 4 The Voice Canal, touches the heart as the border between reality and the supernatural become blurred when love keeps the lines of communication open briefly between a deceased father and his bereaved son.

And last but not least, story 5 The Forest Protector, has an abused mother and son leave behind an unhappy and brutal past with the mother casting her eyes toward an uncertain future, but with a renewed perspective concerning the nature of humanity and her duty as a protective mother.

Altogether, Who’s There brings a satisfyingly dark, terrifying and even melancholic read that will keep the hackles up. An interesting addition to some stories is the inclusion of intriguingly creepy poetic verses that do well to add fuel to the already articulately coherent horror shorts. A literate roving into Asian based horror, the five included stories within this compilation wields not only effectively chilling tales, featuring elements of the Indonesian supernatural culture that shines with author Dimas’ adept ability at storytelling wrought with scene defining details, well-plotted twists and turns in the story which keeps the reader fascinated throughout the reading. Also further enhancing the read is the perspective of terror stemming from another culture, offering a unique take on fear-inducing scenarios which overall did well to make the read especially engaging.

Ultimately, what grabs the attention within Who’s There is the increasingly creepy build-up of tension and terror throughout each story within the whole book, and if you enjoy settling in for a titillating collection of satisfying scary shorts then surely this book should be next on your “want to read” list.

The Nosferatu Conspiracy: The Sleepwalker by Brian James Gage

October 22, 2020

Book Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

The Nosferatu Conspiracy: The Sleepwalker is the first book in a new series that takes place in both Romania and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Brian James Gage has written a gripping, edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller with his own interpretation of Russian history involving Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin and the Russian Imperial Romanov family during the reign of Tsar Nicholas Aleksandrovich Romanov II. Rasputin, a powerful and deceptive vampire with extraordinary, otherworldly abilities, has orchestrated an elaborate scheme that will enable vampires to rule the world and use the human population as a food source. Members of the Romanov family are crucial to the success of Rasputin’s game plan. Vampire hunters with special weapons are trying to thwart Rasputin’s efforts in his promise of victory for bloodsucking evil beings to triumph over humankind. The hunters face a time-constraint for trying to put a stop to this calamitous undertaking. Who will be the victor? Will humans serve as vampires’ food supply or will humans destroy any chance of vampires running rampant? Purchase Here.

This nail-biting and electrifying story is split into three parts, each with thematically relevant titles that wonderfully tie the storyline together. Chapter headings include the date and time, which are important to the story in the countdown to either the successful or unsuccessful implementation of Rasputin’s goal. Some headings also include quotes from a vampire bible written by “Vlad Draculea”, diary excerpts from a Romanov family member, and newspaper clippings. It is easy to keep straight the myriad of individually distinctive characters in the story, and all of the minor characters are important in supporting the development of the plot. The transitions between past and present events are handled seamlessly. Descriptive writing by Gage’s use of vivid details, figurative language, and sensory information draws readers into this fascinating rendition of events surrounding Rasputin and the ending days of the Romanov Dynasty.

The Sleepwalker incorporates historical figures, religious officials, seers, malevolent entities, underground sects, political revolution, familial love, friendship, odious conflicts, treachery, secret plots, and gory/graphic violence. It is full of nonstop tension with unpredictable twists and turns that explodes into a spine-tingling climax. Gage does a thorough job of explaining Romanian folklore about vampire-like creatures, which is extremely helpful for anyone unfamiliar with these mythological beings and their powers. The English translation is provided for the words and phrases that are written in an appropriate foreign language for the story. The Sleepwalker forms an auspicious beginning for a new series. At the end of the book, Gage includes a brief overview of what will transpire in The Nosferatu Conspiracy: The Sommelier, which is the second installment in the series.