Dianne's Book Reviews
Through the Independent Authors Guild, I have met an incredible array of authors from across the country -- and around the world! I have purchased and read a number of their books, which have since become favorites. I have found independently published books to be more original and captivating than your regular "NY Times Bestsellers." Yeah, those guys get the sales, but these authors have the stories.
Shifted by Colin D. Jones
Shifted, the new novel by Colin D. Jones, is a werewolf story right up my alley – a little bit paranormal, a lot of science fiction, and even a touch of history all wrapped up in a well-written and craftily executed plot. Jones breaks new ground in the genre, producing a theory for lycanthropy that incorporates quantum physics and the multiverse theory and even traces its roots back to the Viking ulfhedinn, or berserkers.
Set primarily in the 70’s, Shifted is the story of Mark Arsenault, a young man with a terrible secret. Raised in a loveless and abusive household by a mother and step-father who fear and hate him, Mark lives an isolated existence trying to control the dark monster that lurks within, struggling to get out. Having thoroughly explored the horror films and comic books of his generation, Mark knows perfectly well that the term “werewolf” most appropriately applies to his condition. Yet, he does not fit the all the classic descriptions of a werewolf – “It” wants out all the time, not only during a full moon, and the touch of silver does him no harm. Also, no part of the werewolf legend can account for the Ghost – a shadowy but familiar figure which tries to guide and educate him – or his occasional glimpses of the future.
When his young and attractive Spanish teacher suspects that Mark is abused at home, she makes a kindly offer of refuge that threatens to develop into something deeper, setting off a chain reaction of events that ultimately lead to cataclysm. Throw in a secret government agency -- which knows exactly what Mark Arsenault is and wants to enlist him – string theory, an attractive young blonde, and the monster itself … and you have a taut, well-developed novel that is more science fiction than horror and completely enjoyable by a wide range of readers.
Sunset by J.J. Ritonya
In a sudden apocalyptic event with no warning, 99% of the world’s population dies – instantly. For the 1% who survive, the inexplicable deaths of everyone around them and their new isolation in a dead world are like a nightmare. But forty-eight hours later, the nightmare gets worse when the dead rise and begin to walk. Attracted to light and sound, the mindless zombies instinctively kill any living thing they find.
Sunset is a novel narrating the experiences of several intriguing survivors in various regions of the U.S. – a twenty-something failure-to-launch who worked at a video store in Kansas, a computer programmer enjoying a vacation in Las Vegas, a retired cop in New York City, and a terrorist who was just about to blow up a building, along with himself and thousands of other people, when this disaster pre-empted his act. (I thought it was rather daring to include this character in the line up.) As the survivors come out of their own personal shock and begin to seek other survivors, they find that the living can be more dangerous than the dead.
Given an event that destroys the fabric of civilized society, the violent and immoral individuals immediately rise up and begin to destroy those people still clinging to an illusion of law and order. The mindless zombies are little threat composed to the predatory living humans who have taken up arms against fellow survivors. Although I found Sunset an interesting book, I found this particular aspect difficult to believe. One would think that the instinct for species survival would prevent most people from shooting other survivors on sight. I felt that I wanted a little more background from the author on this behavior, and that the plot of the book suffered a bit because it was not there.
Sunset is appropriate for adult audiences who enjoy horror, zombies, and stories of a post-apocalyptic world.
Boxcar Down: The Albanian Incident by Charles L. Lunsford
I don’t know much about the Cold War era, I have to admit. I was born in the 60’s and by the time I was old enough to be paying attention to world events, a lot of things had changed. Perhaps that’s why I so enjoyed Boxcar Down:The Albanian Incident. Set in 1958, the novel recounts the fictional story of Airman Second Class Jim Wilson, a radio operator on a C-119 “Flying Boxcar” which is shot down during a secret courier mission when it inadvertently strays into Albanian airspace. Wilson, the only survivor of the crash, is forced to take charge of the dead courier’s pouch and dredge up his skimpy “evasion” training to avoid capture while trying to make it back into friendly territory. Aided by Albanian partisans secretly fighting the communist regime, and hunted by both the Albanian police and the Russian army, Wilson manages to contact friendly radio operators by Morse code with a vintage WWII spy suitcase radio, and the American Air Force scrambles to safely extract him without causing an international incident.
Boxcar Down is populated by dozens of memorable characters from a unique period of history. World War II has long since ended, and yet war veterans are still actively engaged in the military and former Resistance operatives have not yet lost their wily edge. Morse code communications are fading in importance, and yet Jim Wilson’s fluency in this skill provides the means for his ultimate escape from enemy territory. From the Albanian teacher who turns out to have been a member of the Resistance to the little Albanian Sergeant with erratic driving habits and the Russian career-Major who disapproves of the new communist politicos, readers will find the characters engaging and realistically portrayed. I can highly recommend Boxcar Down as a fun read that includes a little bit of espionage, a fair amount of history, and a lot of adventure.
The Bomb That Followed Me Home by Cevin Soling
“It’s that thing where the author says one thing but means the opposite. What’s that called?” My advanced fifth grade reading group had no trouble seeing immediately that The Bomb That Followed Me Home was more than a silly story. In fact, they recognized irony in the ending, even if they didn’t remember the name for it.
A little boy is walking home from school, primarily focused on avoiding the property of Mrs. Greenspan who yells in gibberish at all trespassers, when he realizes he is being followed home by the cutest little bomb he’s ever seen. Of course, he wants to keep it, but his mother is worried it belongs to someone else (perhaps a crazed anarchist who misses it desperately) and thinks it will be too much work. But the boy and the bomb are already attached – whatever shall they do?
It seems simple at first, a little kooky, and wonderfully engaging with psychedelic and hilarious illustrations. But after reading it, you start asking yourself questions and wondering: Why are the parents annoyed by the presence of the bomb, but not really alarmed? Why are they more worried about their own inconvenience than the potentially dire consequences? What significance is there in the fact that the unpleasant neighbor speaks gibberish, instead of English?
The Bomb That Followed Me Home prompted a wonderful literature discussion on questioning, reading between the lines, irony, and theme for my intermediate level students. For me, it was delightfully thought-provoking. And for my 8-year old daughter, it was just plain funny. All around, this book was a hit and a success.
First Duty by Marva Dasef
Young fans of Star Wars and especially the Jedi Apprentice series by Jude Watson will enjoy this YA novel of a young girl’s experiences in the Space Service of Incorporated Planets. Resourceful and quick-thinking Nyra Hutchings sees the Space Service as a way to escape a life of servitude on a repressed factory planet. Although she could have been destined for a career full of commendations in the Service, Nyra is disturbed by some of the things she learns about Incorporated Planets and its stranglehold on the worlds within its authority. Perhaps the rebellion she has heard about is more than just a group of malcontents and trouble-makers …
Bearing some similarities to the Star Wars films, with themes revolving around oppressive governments, idealistic rebels, and personal honor, First Duty provides a chance for young fans to break out of the George Lukas universe and try out other science fiction. The cover of the paperback version had me a little confused, since it looks like a fantasy and bears little resemblance to the story (especially the back cover, not visible here). However, the Kindle edition has a more science fiction-oriented cover, so perhaps changes are being made.
But Wait ... There's More!
Due to the number of reviews written in the last year, this page was becoming a bit crowded. Therefore, only the 5 most recent reviews will be displayed on this page. Visit the Review Archives to see older reviews, organized for your convenience by genre.
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reset July 21, 2008