Book Review: First Epiphany of the Time Vandal

Rollins finished lighting his cigar.  He shook out the match and laid it in the ashtray.  “Harald Bluetooth?” he queried, looking down at the book lying on the edge of Elijah’s desk.

“Danish king, around 980 A.D.,” Elijah answered as he sat down behind his desk.  “At the height of his power he ruled over most of Scandinavia.  He converted all his subjects to Christianity.”  He shot the director a glance.

“Peacefully, I’m sure,” retorted the Director, smiling ear-to-ear.  He loved tweaking Elijah about things like this.

Elijah shrugged, unapologetically. “He’s just a hobby of mine,” he said.  “Guys like that, the ones that were able to unite a bunch of tribes against all odds, they always interested me the most.  I don’t know why.”  He started typing something on his laptop.  Rollins ignored him for the next few moments, puffing on his cigar to really get it going.  After a few moments more, the dark clouds filling the small office, he looked back up across the desk at Elijah and chose his words carefully.  “You know, Kim would have been really proud today.”  Elijah’s head snapped up, a barely concealed look of pain on his face.  Rollins continued, “It’s been over a year, man.” He shook his head slightly back and forth twice and paused for a moment.  “I mean … I guess I just want to say that I’m proud of you too, buddy.”

Elijah glared at him evenly, his gaze showing no emotion at all.  “I appreciate that, Jack.  I really do.”

After a few more seconds of silence, Rollins stood up and walked around the desk to where Elijah was sitting.  He reached out and put his hand on Elijah’s shoulder.  “I know that you wish, more than the whole world, that she was here today to share this with you, to share this day.  She believed in this project almost as much as you did.” 

M.E. Bowling. First Epiphany of the Time Vandal (Kindle Locations 295-309). Kindle Edition.

The Observer Effect is this strange physics principle that says the act of observation alters the outcome when observing phenomenon. The same principle can be applied to people and animals to an extent. So what happens when a brilliant scientist discovers a way to travel through time so that history can be observed and recorded? Dr. Elijah Snow learns that time travel is far more complicated than the science that made it possible as he starts his journey toward becoming the Time Vandal.

Cover Reveal – The Coming Darkness

BLURB:

Justin is a fallen Angel. He just happens to be one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Grim Reaper himself, Death. A year has passed since he remembered who he was and what he is. He is regaining some of the abilities and memories he lost when he chose to fall to earth and live amongst humans, but he has a long way to go before he can fully reclaim his title. When Justin comes across a young girl being chased by a monster, he does what he can to save her, but he soon discovers this is no normal girl, and failing to save her will change the world forever.

EXCERPT:

“Something tells me this is the place,” said Samantha.

“I think you’re right.” Justin felt the Power emanating from the place; the origin or intent of the magic cast upon the little building remained elusive.

Justin opened the door and Samantha strode inside. Her sharp business attire and well-manicured look terribly out of place in the shop filled with countless shelves filled with books and dark little trinkets and charms that hung from hooks throughout the room. She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “It smells like a tomb in here,” she said as she picked up the desiccated corpse of a chameleon from a nearby shelf.

“I’ve smelled worse,” Justin said as he entered the room and shut the door behind him. He stopped when he stood behind her and whispered, “Human magic often requires these sort of physical components, at least until the wizard is powerful enough to eschew such trappings.”

“How…uncivilized,” Samantha said as she placed the dead lizard back on its shelf.

“So true.”

The Angels turned to see a man entering the shop through a doorway behind a broad wooden counter. He was tall for a human, though he fell well short of Justin’s six and a half feet. He wore a dark purple button down shirt that nearly concealed the tattoos that covered his biceps and upper chest. Thick black and grey stuble covered his shaved head. His eyes caught Justin’s attention. He saw that sort of dark fire burning within the eyes of men before. Monuments carved in their likeness and tomes filled with tails of heroism and infamy contained their names.

“Welcome to The Curious Cat. My name is Mathew Finitz, and this is my shop.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eric Swett is the husband of Tracy and the father of Zachary, Connor, and Kaitlyn, and could not be prouder of his family.

He lives in Statesville, North Carolina, spends his daylight hours working in IT and has done so for the past six years.

Being a fan of all things geek, he has spent most of his life reading science fiction and fantasy. He started writing in high school, but it wasn’t until he moved to North Carolina that writing became anything more than a hobby.

 

You can find Eric online at Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and My Writer’s Cramp.

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Book Review – The Sword and the Flame: The Lightwalker

The whispering sound of its voice resounded in Fleir’s ears. To listen to the words felt like a handful of razor claws were slicing through her mind. Steeling herself, she held back the pain to glare at the intruder. “You said you didn’t come here to fight. Then why are you here?”

The Dark Fey’s gaze turned toward Nyanna then back to Fleir. “To complete my part of a bargain. Nothing more and nothing you need to be concerned about.”

It took a moment for Fleir to understand the meaning behind the Dark Fey’s words. When she did, her eyes widened as a terrifying thought occurred to her. “You’ll not have her to feast on!”

The Dark Fey laughed so hard his darkened, wrinkled flesh looked ready to tear and fall off his body. “I cannot devour a child of Fey no more than you can, sister. But others wish to have her and I will fulfill my obligation.”

“Who?” Fleir struggled to find a way to trick the Dark Fey standing before her, but all she could think of to do was protect her daughter.

The Dark Fey remained still for a moment as he studied them. The emotions his Fey sister had for the child cascaded from her in powerful waves capable of drowningany not strong enough to rise above them. The more he looked at them, the more he remembered life with his sister before he was taken from the world of light. Such a thought was rare, but it carried a powerful spell he could never refuse. So with that, he decided to warn his Fey sister of the perils in their future. “Act quickly, Sister. The time for Darkness is near and we shall not be spared from his vengeance if we fail to move.”

Fleir’s face twisted in a confused scowl. She knew Dark Fey couldn’t be trusted, but there was something different about the being. There was something behind the cold, dark eyes she didn’t expect to see. “Whose vengeance? What Darkness?” She knew it had to be powerful to concern a Dark Fey and she tried to hide her growing fear. Why hadn’t she sensed anything?

“Solaria.”

Bialois, CP (2014-11-22). The Sword and the Flame: The Lightwalker (pp. 325-327). CP Bialois. Kindle Edition.

A few years have passed since the events of The Sword and the Flame: The Purging, and the group of friends responsible for saving the world have moved on. New tasks and realities replaced the lives of adventure left behind, but time moves ever forward and whispers of a new threat rattle those that know to be afraid. The Gods are maneuvering their chosen pawns about the playing field and the question is whether or not they will be in time to face an ancient darkness bent on returning to the world of Pyrain.

Cover Reveal: The Winter Creek Hunter

Not too long ago I wrote a review for C. P. Bialois’s The Winter Creek Beast and now I am proud to present the cover for the latest book in the series, The Winter Creek Hunter. If you haven’t read the first one I know you’ll want to check it out because it is an affordable little read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I look forward to reading this book and giving you my review.

When a bounty hunter arrives looking for the Beast armed with silver bullets, Jay faces the proposition that he could be in the crosshairs as another, deadlier creature rises from the curse of the past.

Cover Art By R.J. Keith[/caption]

About the author: Where do I begin? Well first I guess it’s only fair to say that CP Bialois isn’t my real name. It’s a collaboration I made out of the three greatest pets anyone could ever want. My real name is Ed and I’m just an average person that has found a way to do what he loves.

For as long back as I can remember I loved to pretend. Whether it was with my Transformers, GI Joe, or He-Man toys I loved to create intricate plots and have them fight it out. As a fan of horror, science fiction, action, and comedy I dare say my taste in movies are well rounded. Some of my favorites were Star Wars, Star Trek, martial arts, and anything with Schwarzenegger in them.

I’d write my own stories about the characters I saw in the theaters or TV or I’d just daydream about what I’d see myself as the hero of course. You can’t have a daydream without beating the bad guys, getting the girl, etc. It’s just not right to envision yourself as a flunky or sidekick.

As far as books I loved Sherlock Holmes, Treasure Island, Dracula, and the normal assortment. My early love was the Star Trek novels, I’d read them or the Hardy Boys relentlessly. For a time I could tell you the plot of over a hundred books not to mention comics.

I have to come clean and say that I learned to read because of comic books. I was bored, make that extremely bored when we started to read in school. Reading “the cat fell down” really didn’t interest me. My dad, who continues to astound me with his insight to this day, figured comics would work. With that in mind he went to the newstand in town and bought issues of Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tales From the Crypt, and Spider-man. He patiently read through them with me until I picked it up. Whether it was him or the comics I learned to read in about two weeks and for a while few were as good as I was. For years after that whenever we’d go out he’d always spring for a couple of comic books for me.

While it wasn’t exactly the perfect beginning everything I’ve ever read or have seen has influenced me in some way and now is the time I’d like to share some of the ideas I’ve had over the years with all of you. I hope you enjoy my stories, they’re always fun to write and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

 

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Book Review: Paths of Alir

Alorin is caught in the grip of madness as an evil from the very edges of reality has set its sights on the destruction of both it and T’khendar. But there is hope in the form of the Fifth Vestal, Björn Van Gelderan, the man blamed for the death of thousands more than a hundred years earlier. Even then, when his deeds seemed darkest, Bjorn was making moves in a great game that would see reality saved or destroyed completely. With his return he has set his players into motion, but will they survive the darkness that confronts them as they follow their individual paths?

THE GOOD

Like the previous two books in the series, Paths of Alir is masterfully written and is a page turner that is impossible put down. Melissa McPhail brings the characters to life in such a way that you either love them or hate them. There is rarely any indifference.

This connection with the characters made the book a little difficult at points since there was a lot of hardship suffered by most of the likeable ones, but I am a fan of taking the story down a dark path and the author does that with gusto. While some of the action is surely cringe worthy, the resulting atmosphere is well worth it.

THE BAD

If you pick up this book without reading the previous two in the series you will be hopelessly lost and will most likely have a bad experience reading it. There is a lot that has come before this book and the author wastes little time going over ground already covered.

The sexual content in this book is a bit more frequent and more graphic. There are some extreme examples of sexual torture that are not for the timid. Some might see it as unnecessary, but it adds a level of darkness to the story that was previously missing.

THE TAKEAWAY

This is an excellent addition to an already excellent series. I would definitely recommend picking up the first two books in the series before buying Paths of Alir in order to prevent confusion and frustration. This is epic high fantasy at its best and should be on your reading list if you are even remotely a fan of the genre.

 

About the Author – Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn’t love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of The Dagger of Adendigaeth! Here’s what you need to do…

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog

That’s it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win–the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter.  Good luck!

About the author: Melissa McPhail is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, and an avid Fantasy reader. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their twin daughters and two very large cats.
Connect with Melissa on her website, Facebook, Twitter,or GoodReads.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review – Devil Music

What’s a demon to do? When Cain’s master sends him across the country on an impossible mission to convince a girl to fall in love with his eldest son, the demon has no choice but to go. Before long Cain finds himself the lead guitarist in a heavy metal band, but can he keep his master happy while avoiding the mysterious serial killer known only as The Engineer?

THE GOOD

This is a clever book that takes the Urban Fantasy and twists it around into something a little more. There is suspense, romance and danger in the pages of the book and it blends together into a supernatural drama. The story is well written and the main characters of the book are unique and easily discernible from one another. The primary setting is the club scene of early eighties Los Angeles and it fits the story perfectly. The reader really gets a feel for the scene and it pulls the book together perfectly.

THE BAD

This is a long book and it is a long read. The first third of the book slowly introduces the characters and their place in the story. It can be a little hard to get through. When things start to happen in the middle third the action is still slow as the plot slowly grinds forward. The action really doesn’t start to kick in until the last third of the books, but when it does it is worth it. The author misses an opportunity to inject action into the earlier part of the books so that by the time the reader reaches the end of the book the tension is ratcheted up to a crescendo.

THE TAKEAWAY

This is a good book. It is well written with a good plot and excellent characters. This is not a quick read and may take some patience in the beginning, but the ending is worth it when you get there. I would recommend this as a good winter book where you can sit and read it over a long stretch. Throw in a selection of early eighties metal before each read and you’ll be right in the middle of the action.

Carly Orosz

About the Book – About the Author – Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn’t love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Devil Music! Here’s what you need to do…

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog

That’s it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win–the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Devil Music tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

About the book: Cain Pseudomantis leads a miserable life. Bound to the mortal world by a powerful spell no demon could hope to break, he must obey his human master’s every command or face harsh punishment. He finds solace in the rock music which he listens to when he isn’t running unsavory errands for his master. Then everything changes. While on a mission in a seedy section of 1980s Los Angeles, Cain impulsively buys an electric guitar and discovers an unusual talent for music, a talent that catapults him to hair metal stardom. With three superpowered human band mates and his beautiful girlfriend Michelle by his side, his life starts to look a lot better. But Cain soon finds that even rock stars have troubles. The crusading televangelist Nathaniel Breen—who happens to be Michelle’s father—accuses him of turning the city’s youth to Satan worship. Meanwhile a mysterious killer known only as the Engineer terrorizes the Los Angeles rock scene with a series of brutal murders. When Cain and his friends attempt to unmask the killer, they discover a deadly secret that could cost Cain his hard-won freedom, and possibly his life.Get Devil Music through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.

About the author: Carly Orosz lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband. She graduated from Kalamazoo College and went on to earn an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College. Her poetry has been published in Wavelength Journal and SpoutMagazine. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, weaving on a hand loom, and studying the art and cultures of pre-Columbian Mexico.
Connect with Carly on her website, Facebook, Twitter,or GoodReads..
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On the Twelfth Day of the Blog Tour

Throes of Creation by Leonid Pasternak

Wow, the blog tour is almost done and what a fun ride it has been. Eleven days worth of guest posts, interviews and book reviews has left me excited and exhausted all at the same time. The experience has left me completely excited about getting the upcoming novella finished so that I can move on to the next book.

So why stop the fun today?  The very talented Kristy Carey is hosting today’s guest post. I shared some of the process that led to the writing of Apocalypse Rising and Apocalypse in the Balance.

Make sure you stop in and take part in the rafflecopter giveaway so that you can have a chance at winning an autographed copy of one of my books.

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Blog Tour Days 9 and 10

I’m sorry for not posting yesterday’s Blog Tour stop yesterday. I didn’t get the link until after lunch, and with it being election day I did not make it home until nearly nine o’clock last night. I wish I could say that I stayed up late watching the election results, but I didn’t and it is probably for the best since it would have gotten me all worked up before bed. As it was, my wife had to talk me down from a ledge.

Yesterday’s blog tour stop was once again at Culture Shock, where I received an excellent review for Apocalypse in the Balance. Today’s Blog stop is hosted by AC Elliot, featuring another review.

I don’t know about you, but I love seeing all of these positive reviews. Make sure you check them out, then visit Amazon to pick up your copy today.

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Blog Tour 2014

Hello my faithful followers!

I have a big announcement to make and I’m really excited about it.

Tomorrow is the first day of the blog tour supporting my new book, Apocalypse in the Balance.  For the next two weeks I’ll be sharing the address of guest blog posts written by me, interviews, and book reviews.  Check them each out and you will have a chance to earn signed copies of my books.

Tomorrow’s inaugural post will be hosted by the extremely talented C. P. Bialois. Check back for the address and visit his site.

Eric Swett

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Book Review – The White Dress, The Autumn Leaves

In the dream, she was in a dark place. She was with a man, tall, like Jack, with dark hair. The man left her for a time, and other rough men surrounded her where she sat. It was confusing; they began touching her, prodding at her. She was frozen with a sharp stab of fear. She felt fragile like glass, tried shifting to the side, wishing they would just stop. Wishing that the man with her would save her.

In the dream, she hated their awful touches. She knew she could do nothing if they attacked her. She was frightened, wondering what she should do. The man like her Jack stepped in, and all hell broke loose as he fought off the men around her. She was dizzy, disoriented; was she hitting the men trying to grab her? Was she screaming? She couldn’t recall.

In the dream, one of the men rushed into her and she fell back against the wall. She turned, she saw the man with her—her lover—and she saw another man about to stab him.  She shoved at him in abject terror. Another of the men knocked her forward and into the knife that sliced right into her belly. There was no way to turn aside. She felt it go into her. She heard a voice that said, “And so she who was the only one he had ever loved died in saving him.”

In the dream, she could not speak to him. She could not tell him she loved him, and it was her only wish in that moment that to tremble, the pain too great. But she would have endured all of that acid agony again if she could merely reach out and tell him she loved him, and when he looked at her…

In the dream, they shared that last long look and she drifted, releasing into the cold gray paleness, sliding into oblivion. The pain in his eyes; he looked like he was about to shatter.

Shauna Aura Knight (2014-06-22T05:00:00+00:00). The White Dress, The Autumn Leaves (Kindle Locations 32-48). Jupiter Gardens Press. Kindle Edition.

The White Dress, The Autumn Leaves

Being awkward and shy can be hard enough, but add to it a sensitivity to the supernatural and it is easy to see why Meredith wouldn’t be comfortable approaching Jack at a Pagan festival. When he introduces himself there is an immediate connection, and it is not long before they are making plans for the future, but the future has something different in store for them unless they can change their fate.

THE GOOD
The story focuses on Meredith and Kevin and they are very well written. In a short span the reader is given a real sense for who they are and what motivates them. So often novellas fall short in this regard and the reader is left with a story without depth, but this book does not fall into that trap. While I am not personally knowledgeable in the ways of modern Pagans, the story is so well written that I could not help but feel that the author is speaking from a place of knowledge.

THE BAD
There is not much to complain about with this book, but there were moments, specifically when the characters are fumbling their way towards intimacy, where the dialogue felt a little stilted, but it may well have been an intentional effort to communicate their awkwardness with the intimacy and the emotions at play.

THE TAKEAWAY
This is a wonderful little novella. It is erotic, romantic, spiritual and touched with the supernatural, but it is not overloaded with any one of these. The genre bending of this story is wonderful and a testament to the author’s skill that it comes off so naturally. If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable read, this novella is worth picking up.

Shauna Aura Knight
An artist, author, and presenter, Shauna’s work is inspired by the mythic stories of heroes, of swords and magic, and of the darkness we each must overcome. She’s a fantasy artist and author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy including Werewolves in the Kitchen, A Winter Knight’s Vigil, and The White Dress, the Autumn Leaves. Her mythic artwork and designs are used for magazine covers, book covers, and illustrations.

She travels nationally offering intensive education in the transformative arts of community leadership, facilitation, and personal transformation, and is the author of numerous articles and books on those subjects including The Leader Within, Dreamwork for the Initiate’s Path, and Ritual Facilitation.

http://www.shaunaauraknight.com

Fiction Blog: https://shaunaknightauthorartist.wordpress.com

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