must read – The Spine View

The Last Watch by J. S. Dewes

The Last Watch, by J. S. Dewes, has a Battlestar Galactic vibe. If you crossed that, with something like, The Expanse it would make a fairly accurate description of this epic space adventure. It is an excellent blend of characters and action that makes it a thrilling read and has established Dewes firmly in the category of authors to watch in the Sci-Fi world.

Told from two POVs, Cavalon Mercer the disowned royal heir and Adequin Rake the commanding officer of the decommissioned battlecruiser, now jail of sorts, Argus. The ship sits on the edge of the universal, literally. The edge, called the Divide, is the point where the universal has quit expanding. The job of the Argus and her crew, along with similar other vessels, is to guard the Divide against their enemy the Viator.

There is just one problem, the universe has started to collapse and it will swallow everything in its path. There is no one else at the Divide and no way to reach the Core to get help. Therefore, this ragtag bunch of criminals and misfits maybe the only way to stop disaster.

Though this is a debut novel, it reads with much more sophistication than I expected. The characters are well rounded and the author gets you inside their heads so that you not only understand them, but you have empathy for them. Even the minor characters you understand their motives and actions. For example, you know why Griffith is serving aboard the Argus. It was no surprise to me what he revealed to Rake at the end, though she refused to see it. However, I think deep down she knew and was just afraid to admit it to herself.

The plot was fast paced and I found myself caught up in the action. In a couple of places I was biting my nails over the suspense. I also liked the twists and most were unexpected. However, one negative thing, though minor, I suspected some of the things that happened in the end. Yet, I felt this did not detract from the story in the slightest.

There are so many directions the next book could go in. I really want to find out more about the other characters, like Puck. I want to understand the underlying politics better and lastly I want to know more about the Viator. I am so looking forward to book two. Not looking forward to the wait! I want the second book NOW!

This is an all-around great opening to a series and I highly recommend this book for all loves of Sci-Fi. It will especially appeal to those that like Space Opera. I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons

Pub. Date: 25-Aug-2020
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Memory of Souls is the third book in this epic fantasy by Jenn Lyons. It was definitely worth the wait for this book. An amazing adventure story and without a doubt my favorite so far.

As with the first two books in the series, the story is told as a narration of events. Kihrin and Thurvishar are attempting to record the current events as they occur. The account picks up right where the previous book leaves off. Our heroes now know that the god Vol Karath is awake, though he is still imprisoned. They also know that at least one of the chains that binds him has been severed.

Even from his prison Vol Karath is able to cause massive destruction and chaos. The eight immortals have tasked Kihrin, Teraeth, Janel and Thurvishar with persuading the Monal Vane’ to give up there immortality. There is a ritual, once performed, will make them mortal and in the process strength the chains that hold Vol Karath. This ritual is the one that made the other immortal races mortal.

The Vane’ are strongly against this but if Vol Karath does escape, the entire world will be destroyed. Yet, everything has a cost and boy is that the case in this book.

I would love to say more about the plot but then I would be giving away some of the best parts. I want readers to be as surprised as I was with some of the events. For example, I learned a lot more about Kihrin, Janel and Teraeth’s past lives and it was very revealing and ties some stuff together for me.

This is probably one of the most complex series I have ever read. Not only is the world building complex but the characters are also. For the most part I loved it, but there were a few times when I had a hard time keeping up with who was who. Especially with all the reincarnations and body changes going on. I had to go back a couple of times and reread parts to cement everything in my mind. I wished I had taken notes as I went along then it would have been easier.

The characters are richly developed in this series and before I even picked up this book I thought that the author could not do much more to enhance them. She proved me wrong. There were new tidbits and interesting secrets that were revealed throughout the book. I loved how she parses them out and keeps the reader engaged. This is what makes this series so captivating. I can honestly say there is never a dull moment.

I recommend this book, and the whole series, to lovers of epic fantasy. For those readers that love an intricate and complicated plot with memorable characters, I think you will especially appreciate these books.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Heart’s Necessities by Jane Tyson Clement and Becca Stevens

The Heart’s Necessities, by Jane Tyson Clement and Becca Stevens, is a collection of Clement’s poetry and is interspersed with biographical commentary by Ms. Stevens. The selected poems are centered on the daily observations of life and nature. As such, they are an excellent complement to the biography.

In this lovely collection of poems there is also pictures from the poet’s life as well as images inspired by her work and pictures of Ms. Stevens. Although, the poems themselves is what I truly loved about this book. It was obvious to me from the beginning that Ms. Clement is gifted and her verse covers a wide range of topics from her relationship with her husband (there is a whole section dedicated to poems written for, and about, him) to those about nature.

Some of the poems were more straight forward and some more complex; however, all contained beautiful imagery. One of my favorites was from early in her life. It is titled, “It Was the Simplest Thing” I loved the opening and how it conveyed such longing even though the poems states otherwise. Another poem I enjoyed, and every writer should read, was titled “Writer’s (Abdominal) Cramp”. In a few short verses it told of such frustration with writing and how she had grown “quite ill” with it. I had to smile when I read that one!

It was a real pleasure to read this collection. Before this, I was not familiar with this poet. I am very glad to have been introduced to her work and know I will read more by her in the future. I highly recommend this collection to all lovers of poetry.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau

Title: The Blue
Author: Nancy Bilyeau
Pub. Date: 3-Dec-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

I always like to point out to readers those books that hit all the right notes for me. Especially when it is an indie-author or from a small/independent publisher which is the case with The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau. The alluring thing for me about this lovely historical fiction is all the factual tidbits of 18^th century life and the production of porcelain in that era. This is the perfect example of why Historical Fiction is among my favorite genres.

Genevieve Planche is a young British women who lives with her grandfather, a well-known artist, in London. Her family are Huguenots and refugees, having fled France for England in the wake of religious persecution. Since she was born in England she has no particular loyalty to the French crown and Louis XV. A good thing, since England is now at war with France.

Despite being at war, the English still crave some French goods, such as the famous porcelain pieces produced by Sevres the French manufacturer preferred by Madame de Pompadour chief mistress to Louis XV. Genevieve finds herself drawn into the world of porcelain when her family arranges for her to become a painter at the English porcelain factory of Derby. What she really craves is to study painting under one of the great masters of her time. This is not an option for her because painting is not considered proper for a young lady.

Genevieve chafes at the constraints that society has placed upon her. She even goes so far as to attend a party giving by an English artist, who her grandfather knows, in hopes of persuading him to become her teacher. Of course, she utterly fails. Though she does meet Sir Gabriel Courtenay who later calls on her as her grandfather’s home. He manages to enlist her help as a spy. He desperately needs the formula for the new blue color that Derby is reported to have developed. In exchange, he has promised her what she wants the most, to study under a painter. She agrees to spy and only has a few short weeks to find the formula. Yet, spying is a dangerous business and spies are hanged.

As I already stated, I love Historical Fiction because I always learn some little tidbits. In this instance, I learned a lot of tidbits. The author has out done herself with researching the period and the subject of porcelain. She actually peaked my interest and I had to do some further reading about porcelain, particularly Derby and Sevres.

I also loved the complexity of the main character Genevieve. She is intelligent, a gifted artist and somewhat self-centered person who struggles with her sense of duty to family and friends. Most importantly she is a strong young woman. Imagine going off to live and work were you do not know anyone and you are 4 days away, by carriage, from any family. She also has her flaws, she can be reckless and fails to see the consequences of her actions until it is far too late.

I thought the pace of the plot was good and there were some interesting things that happened that encouraged me to keep reading. The author did an excellent job of marrying fact and fiction. It gave the story a boost and complemented the prose.

In short, this was an excellently crafted story that any Historical Fiction fan will be sure to enjoy. Be sure to mark it as “Read Soon” on your TBR list.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Beneath the Same Stars: A Novel of the 1862 U.S. – Dakota War by Phyllis Cole-Dai

Title: Beneath the Same Stars
Author: Phyllis Cole-Dai
Pub. Date: Aug-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Are you a lover of Historical Fiction and/or American history? If so, you must read Beneath the Same Stars by Phyllis Cole-Dai. I have rarely read a book that portrayed the plight of the Native American so accurately. Much of the American history that I was taught was heavy on the American Revolution, Civil War and the two World Wars. The conflict with Native Americans got just a light gloss over. It is a tragedy because it has allowed us to continue to overlook their issues and concerns.

The main character, Sarah Wakefield, is the wife of an army physician stationed in Redmond which is part of the upper reservation of the Sioux. She has been assured that it is safe and most of the Sioux are farmers and mission Indians. Yet the tensions have been mounting with the Sioux. The Sioux have been promised, by the Great Father in Washington, a yearly payment in gold and food as compensation for the loss of their hunting grounds. Despite these promises every year the Sioux are cheated out of both food and money.

The tensions come to a head in August 1862 when yet again the promised amount of food is not sent to the Sioux. Faced with a winter of starvation, the Sioux kidnap Sarah and her two children along with other white families as hostages in an attempt to force payment of what has been promised. Fortunately for Sarah a Sioux warrior Caske takes her in as his wife. This gives her and her children some measure of protection from the other Sioux who might do her harm. Of course, when the uprising escalates into an all-out war, Sarah is stuck in the middle.

Though this book is a work of fiction, the underlying facts are historically accurate. The author has taken the real people that were involved in the conflict and given them a voice. She has accurately portrayed the prejudices of the time and the consequences of the actions on both sides of the conflict.

In addition, the author has done an outstanding job of weaving the fact and the fiction together to create a compelling piece of literature. She invites you to step into the world of Sarah Wakefield if only for a brief period. This is a must read for lovers of history of all kinds not just Native American history.

I received a free copy for the author in exchange for my honest review.

Honour the Dead by John Anthony Miller

Title: Honour The Dead
Author: John Anthony Miller
Pub. Date: 3-Nov-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Honor the Dead, by John Anthony Miller, is a cleverly written historical murder mystery that will hook you in the first page and all the while keep you guessing right until the end. It was so good, despite grand kids visiting, I read it in three evenings. Granted, the third evening I read until 2:00AM because I HAD to finish.

The book opens with a death reported at Lake Como by the Milan, Italian newspaper. The reader is given only the basic facts, no names are released. Skip backward two months to a sanitarium at Lake Como where Penelope Cavendish, a wealthy English aristocrat, has just been admitted after a recent suicide attempt. Only, Penelope insists that someone is trying to kill her.

Dr. Joseph Barnett is a well-known and respected doctor who is taking on Penelope’s difficult case. He is sure with time he can help her recover. She is severely depressed over the death of her mother, at a young age, and then her brother during the Great War. She also is delusional at times and feels threatened by those around her.

Her father, Wellington Jones, is at Lake Como to lend Penelope, the only child he has left, the support she needs to recover. It seems he will do anything to protect her. Her husband, Alexander Cavendish, is also a wealthy aristocrat and war hero and also wants his wife better. So who would want her dead?

Nothing is as it seems and Mr. Miller is adept at weaving half-truths, lies and using misdirection to keep the reader on their toes. There are plenty of suspects and ample motives to go around. The facts are revealed slowly and the tension builds as the police work to solve the crime. Do the police even have the right suspects? So much was running through my mind when I was trying to work out who the killer was. I kept second guessing myself and you will to. I suspect, in the end you will be truly surprised.

Honor the Dead is not your typical murder mystery. Largely because of the way in which the plot was executed. Which, by the way, is ingenious. There are more reasons and I want to tell you all of them. Yet, if I do, it will spoil the fun for others. I hate spoilers and I refuse to do them!

The cast of characters is wonderful, with a lot of depth, and they fit the plot splendidly. I love it when an author is mindful of the characters and plot. This attention to detail allowed me to become deeply invested with the characters, both good and bad. It is ones of those rare books that has you rushing to the end to see what happens, then disappointed when you get there because there is no more to read.

In short, the book exceed my expectations. It should appeal to a variety of readers. Therefore, I highly recommend it to lovers of murder mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Time and Time Again by Robert Silverberg

Title: Time and Time Again
Author: Robert Silverberg
Pub. Date: 6-Nov-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Robert Silverberg is one of the first Science Fiction authors I remember reading as a young adult. His stories always seemed to contain that special quality… that euphoria I get when a story sweeps you away. No doubt that is why he is considered among the masters in the field of Science Fiction.

In this anthology of time travel stories, Silverberg explores various problems and contradictions that time travel could cause. Despite being a collection of sixteen stories, each story is unique in some way. I think that is one of the reasons I have always loved his works, he has never failed to impress with his unending imagination. This collection served to further reinforce my feelings.

It is not feasible to write a synopsis of each story. However, I will tell you that Silverberg has written a short introduction to each story that explains how he came to write the story and where and when it appeared. I actually liked this addition information and it did shed light on his thought processes. Therefore, I am glad the publisher had the foresight to include the introductions.

In addition to the story introductions, there is a lengthy introduction to the collection that I found interesting. Silverberg, among other things, talked about those that influenced him in his career. Because I have not read much about Silverberg himself, I found it intriguing.

My favorite story of the batch was Gianni. I was intrigued just from the introduction where Silverberg explained about his desire to be published in Playboy and how the editor at the time insisted that he change the story. In the story a musical genius that died at a young age from TB is brought forward in time from the 18^th century where now he is cured but suffers from, shall we say, excesses. At the heart, the story is suggesting that karma follows a person even in time travel.

I highly recommend Time and Time Again to all lovers of Science Fiction. This is a fantastic assembly of time travel stories from one of the best writers of our time.

I received an ARC from the publisher via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. For more of my reviews, and author interviews, see my blog at www.thespineview.com.

My Five Sisters by Pam Franklin

Title: My Five Sisters
Author: Pam Franklin
Piub. Date: 30-April-2015
Rating: 5 Stars

My Five Sisters by Pam Franklin is one of those rare books you will think about long after the reading is over. I found myself caught up in the story; yet, there were times I wanted to put it down because of how distressing the subject matter was.

The book is based on the true life experiences of the author and her childhood growing up in a home in which she was abused and tortured by her sister. Her sister suffered from Multiple Personal Disorder (MPD) and one of these personalities, the author calls Angry, beat and threatened to kill her repeated while they were growing up. Continue reading “My Five Sisters by Pam Franklin”

The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp

Title: The City of Lost Fortunes
Author: Bryan Camp
Pub. Date: 17-Apr-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

I have always associated The City of Lost Fortunes with Las Vegas. Not anymore. Bryan Camp has forever changed that for me. His debut novel is packed with magic, the supernatural and occult of New Orleans and all of these other worldly elements come together to effect the fortunes of the characters in the most unanticipated ways.

Jude, a demi-god and would be magician, living in New Orleans, has been hiding and drifting ever since Katrina left New Orleans broken and a shadow of her former self. He has lost control over his magical gift that allows his to find lost things. That is until one day when the Fortune God, Dodge, calls in a favor that Jude owes him. Continue reading “The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp”

School for Physics by K. C. Archer

Title: School for Physics
Author: K. C. Archer
Pub. Date: 3-Apr-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

School for Physics by K. C. Archer is an explosive new urban fantasy series with a good dash of crime thriller on the side. It reads like a Harry Potter story for adults. I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time and second guessing myself right to the very end.

Theodora Cannon, aka Teddy, lives in Las Vegas above the garage of her adopted parents’ house. After a series of very bad decisions she currently owes over a quarter of a million to a Russian loan shark. You are probably wondering how someone ends up in such a situation at so young an age. Simple, you like to gamble. Teddy has even gone so far as to “borrow” money from her parents’ retirement account. Continue reading “School for Physics by K. C. Archer”