Legends of Leone by M.G. Dekle



     As the number of stories I read grow I'm amazed to find how different each author is from one another. Some write stories that seem to extend from a dark place within and create terrifying horror stories, others try and keep us on the edge of our seat with action and thrills, but there are some that seem to try to keep things light hearted. My review for this week, Legends of Leone by M.G. Dekle, was definitely of the ladder.

     The story opens on the city of Toble's Crossing during a time of wonder; the stars themselves have descended from the heavens above onto an island at the center of the lake. As they go to investigate Leone Verrat, a very inquisitive 4-year old, begins collecting small stones that are scattered around the area. Strangely they glow when she focuses her thoughts onto them. Before anybody has a chance to notice this, however, she is pulled into the ground in an Alice in Wonderland type event that catapults her into a room with two very strange men.

     One of the men takes a liking to Leone, the other is standoffish and seems more interested in the stone she brings with her. Luckily for the young girl the kindly man takes her in, promising her that one day she will have a chance to go back through the portal once they can reopen it; he does, unfortunately, neglect to mention exactly just how long that will be.

    Once the prologue ends you're transported 13 years into the future where 17 year old Leone has just graduated from Blueroot Academy, a premiere school for children with unique afflictions for magic. Though she has graduated towards the bottom of her class, she has still been nominated to partake in "The Ordeal". The Ordeal is a test of skill that determines whether or not a person is qualified to take on his/her chosen profession, one that if failed can send the most promising student into the rear of any job candidacy.

     On the way to get the details and her approval to undertake the Ordeal, Leone runs into a young swordsman named Falchion. Falchion is at the top of his class, and you quickly find out that his puns are not on par with his skill in battle. It is revealed in a meeting with the school's dean that the Ordeal requires a partnership to be completed and oddly enough Leone and Falchion are paired together much to both their delights.

     As the two begin their journey it becomes apparent that the two were written to be both polar opposites of one another, but in a way that makes them the perfect fit as staring characters. Their traits also play an integral part in the way they take on the Ordeal's many different obstacles that will be presented to the group, though the obstacles become the last of their worries when they're attacked by a vicious crystal golem that breaks into the cave that houses the trials, a golem that was forbidden to be created.

     While the story progresses and the cast of colorful characters that Dekle created grows, Leone and Falchion are forced to battle kings guards, dodge elves and befriend dwarfs; all while continuing to fire the witty banter and one-liners, and learning more about their heritages. Each page throughout reveals a little more about the sinister plot that is unfolding in the Elvish world, one that threatens to tear the very fabric of the worlds apart and send the races into an all out war for control and survival, all the while keeping you laughing and cringing in the same paragraphs.

     This story is one of those that I could rant about all day, but I've managed to narrow it down to a few major pros:

• The banter between the characters comes off a little forced at first, but quickly grows on you and you find yourself chuckling page after page regardless of the situation.
• The way that Dekle portrayed magic usage is something I've never read. Each spell is cast by the mage taking a component and mentally manipulating its properties giving them endless possibilities, though keeping the strength they possess in check.
• The way the page/chapter transitions flow incredibly smoothly. This is one of those stories where you find it hard to put down due to the smooth way it reads.

     One of the most difficult parts of reviewing stories of this quality is finding a con to list, even something that may be a downside for some people is hard to find. There really is only one or two small things I could find that were minute things when compared to the overall story:

• The puns and witty banter seem an omen to much more dry humor to come, and to some that's what will happen. As I said earlier I grew to enjoy the borderline silly humor though.
• One thing that did catch my eye was the way Leone and Falchion solve the various trials in the Ordeal, or at least the ones they are able to solve. I'm not saying they walk in and walk out of each trail, but the solutions come a little easier. This is definitely a small note and when you read this story you'll see what I mean.

     In the end Legends of Leone by M. G. Dekle is a wonderful fantasy story that takes you into a great new world with wonderful new characters. I strongly recommend adding this fantasy to your library, you won't be disappointed.

     Overall I'm going to give this story a 8/10 based on:

9/10 for readability - As I mentioned earlier the transitions in this story are incredibly smooth, combine those transitions with good writing and it creates one of the most readable stories I've read so far.

8/10 for characters - Besides the praise I've already given to the main characters, the ancillary characters you meet throughout Leone's journey are wonderfully done. Each one has his/her own personality that you find yourself falling in love with the wide range of characters.

8/10 for story - The story behind Legends of Leone is a wonderful beginning to what I'm sure is going to be many great stories from this world and characters in general. The story takes races from classic fantasy epics, such as dwarfs, elves, orcs, etc and spins them in their own way that separates them from their classic fantasy brethren.

8/10 for humor - The x-factor for me in this story is the humor aspect. From the unexpected spell mishaps to the puns, to the quick witted comments during dire situations the story really keeps you chuckling throughout. The ease with which the humor is presented is the best part of this particular category.

     A big thank you to M. G. Dekle for contacting me about this story, and a big apology for getting it out later than I had originally intended. I will be back on track after the next review, and will be going to Sunday's only for my reviews.

If you'd like to pick up a copy of Legends of Leone click here.

Journey to Altmortis by Thaddeus White



     Anybody who has followed my reviews knows that I'm a little partial when it comes to Fantasies, specifically ones that truly take you to a new world. Journey to Altmortis by Thaddeus White is one of those, and just to stay clear partial doesn't necessarily mean I liked it.

     Journey to Altmortis is a truly epic fantasy adventure that opens up on the main character named Thaddeus. Doing this, in my opinion, was a big risk on White's part. It does, however, become less noticeable fairly early on as you're introduced to more of the characters that become part of this world.

     One of the most notable things you see early on from White's writing is the consistency. Besides creating a new world, new people and an all around new journey, White gives each of these their own voice and you feel as though you've known the characters and the world.

     As is in any fantasy epic, the group is challenged in many different, and unique, ways throughout. Each stop on the way to the ruins of Altmortis is plagued by a new hurdle for the group, and it becomes apparent slowly that there is more than just corrupt city watchmen to worry about.

     I feel like I could rant and rave over the shear amount of pros to this story. From the characters, the story and writing in general there is something that makes this story worth reading throughout. I did manage to narrow it down to a few pros that I think stand out:

• The story may seem like a cut and dry adventure epic on the surface, but as you read you discover so many differences that make it truly special.
• The characters are incredibly thoughtful, and stable throughout. You can meet a character once and his/her speech patterns and personality remain the same, which can be daunting in a story as long and as full as this.
• The world follows the 'book' on what Fantasy worlds should be like, but at the same time feels new. The towns/environments the travelers encounter all have that classic, but original, feel.

     Call it bias or call it a great story but I had issues finding true cons to the story. I did end up narrowing down a couple minor issues I found:

• The main characters name caused a bit of an issue for me early on, as I stated above it sort of fades away as the story progresses.
• Though the story is written well, there are a couple of places where it is evident that this is a new author and could have been tightened up a little more, though there is only two or three instances of this over the course of the whole story.

     In the end Journey to Altmortis is a truly epic fantasy that creates both a huge world and characters that familiar but new at the same time. The thing in the end that really sets it apart from the multitudes of other fantasies brought out the veteran feel that White was able to bring out, when many of the titles released in this genre come out very amateurish.

     Overall I'm going to give Journey to Altmortis by Thaddeus White a 8/10 based on:

8/10 for readability - The story itself reads very well, with smooth transitions and very edited writing that keep you turning the page the whole time.

7/10 for characters - There are so many characters introduced throughout, most ancillary but there are a lot of characters that play a part in the overall story. The main group of characters are all written really well and feel very new. Some of the extra characters come off a little flat, but that's hard to avoid when writing on the scale that Journey to Altmortis is written.

8/10 for story - I know I've mentioned this a couple times already, but the story itself combines the classic adventure tale with some overhauls that really make it feel different.

8/10 for concept/execution - I really feel that the x-factor for this story stems from the concept that White had, and the execution with which it was completed.

     A big thanks to Thaddeus White for reaching out to me about this story, and giving me the opportunity to read such an epic tale. I definitely recommend this for any fantasy fan out there. It does its genre justice and is a voice among the over saturation and carbon copy fantasies that seem to come out quite often.

If you would like to pick up Journey to Altmortis for yourself, click here.
    

    

This Changes Everything by Sally Ember

     Sometimes a book comes along and you find yourself at a loss while you’re reading it. Sometimes it could be due to the fact that you don’t follow a writer’s point of view, writing style or choices they make; other times it may be the story or the characters that just don’t mesh well; and still there are other times when you may not be able to follow due to a lack of understanding of the material.

     In this week’s review I have found a story that I really feel is going to fall under one of those categories for some, but for others the twisting plots and time lines will be a challenge that is well received. Sally Ember really wrote a story that makes you work, not necessarily in a bad way mind you, but work none the less to keep up with.

     This Changes Everything is the first volume in the “Spanners” series. It follows Clara, a young woman tasked with bringing the human race of planet earth up to speed with the knowledge from an intergalactic council of planets in order for them to become members. If you’re already thinking this feels like a daunting task then you may find yourself in one of the groups I mentioned earlier, if this Sci-fi adventure still seems to be up your alley then read on.

     In addition to being instantaneously force fed the knowledge of the universe, Clara must learn to release this knowledge in spurts at the extraterrestrials discretion. To do this she must use a ‘new and up and coming’ reporter that just so happens to become a bit of a love interest.

     What complicates this is that Ember introduces the idea of a multiverse/multiple time lines into the picture. While I’m a fan, though I can’t say I personally believe the theory, of the multiverse theory that says every decision we make creates a multiple number of other universes in which different choices and consequences are formed, some small scale such as running a stop sign resulting in a ticket up to large scale such as running the stop sign causes an accident that kills someone. Fans of the butterfly effect will relate to the metaphor of every choice creating a ripple with unknown effects.

     This multiverse concept, coupled with multiple time lines throughout, creates both confusion and understanding. I think the attempt is solid, and there are several pros to this story, such as:

• The concept is wonderful and feels very new. Though there are times that fall short and everything seems confusing, those times are offset by times in which the multiverse idea is really explained in a way that does justice to the incredibly in depth and thoughtful idea.

• The way Ember writes the first person perspective is very interesting. Though the story is mainly a journal entry, it is written in a laid back manner that really reminds you of someone writing in their journal.

Despite the ‘pros’ I mentioned above, there are a couple of possible downsides I need to mention:

• As I mentioned earlier, the concept is wonderful and new. It is, however, hard to follow at times; this won’t be a turn off for everyone but if I feel as though it merits a warning.

• The characters feel like they lack a little depth. This fact makes sense when it comes to the alien visitors, but many of the main characters feel a little one dimensional. I can’t apply this to the main character, Clara, since as I mentioned earlier Ember does a wonderful job of writing in that first person and giving her a voice and a life of her own.

     In the end This Changes Everything by Sally Ember is a well written, complex work that is going to add a strong title to a genre that can sometimes become bogged down with the same old same old.

 

Overall I'm going to give This Changes Everything a 7/10 based on:

     6/10 for readability - Ember's story, while being well written, is a bit hard to follow at time. The transitions do come off a little rough at times.

     7/10 for characters - As I mentioned earlier the main character is very well done and believable as a normal woman with this huge weight dropped on her. The support characters, however, tend to fall a little short and feel a little one dimensional.

     8/10 for story - The story concept is wonderful and challenging at the same time. There are times when it gets a bit hard to follow, but these times are few and far between. Taking on the task of writing a story that covers multiple time lines and multiple universes  is enough to warrant a hat tip to Ember.

     8/10 for concept/execution - I've mentioned this several times already, but I feel the true x-factor for this story is the vast concept, and execution, of writing a story that spans time lines and universes. It so easily could have turned into a mess, but Ember really reigns it in and edited it down to a point where its, for the most part, easy to follow.

     Thanks goes out to Sally Ember for allowing me to read and review this title. Though I know the review is a bit mixed, overall This Changes Everything is a book that I am very happy to have had the chance to read and I would recommend it to any sci-fi/fantasy fan.

     Currently this book hasn't been released yet, but Ember is projecting the beginning of November as a release date. I will keep my post/blog updated when the story is released. Meanwhile you can see updates on the book, and more information on Sally Ember at the series' homepage here.

Wyrd Worlds: a collaboration



     For this review I was approached by author Steph Bennion in regards to the title Wyrd Worlds. I didn't realize quite how difficult it would be to review a book that is a collection of short stories collaborated by several different authors. I debated whether or not to do a mini review for each story, but with the book being filled with fourteen stories by twelve different authors that would have been a stretch; even giving each author his/her own review would be a feat in itself.

     There are a few familiar faces in this collection, some of which I've already critiqued at one point or another; specifically Emma Faragher, L.L. Watkin and Stan Morris, click on the names to see the previous review. All three of them offer great contributions to Wyrd Worlds in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres.

     Steph Bennion herself contributes two of the stories, she also took on the role of editor for this book. Due to the amount of different authors and story types, I felt it would benefit both the readers of the book as well as my readers to do a short interview with Bennion which you can find at the end of this review.

     The first of the two stories Bennion contributed is titled Antimatter Me and is a short, science fiction, title involving a take on the advancement and creation of matter transmission, or teleportation. It centers around two beings created during the first human test of the teleportation system. Though I don't typically rate short stories I would definitely give this a 9/10.

     Bennion's second story is titled In the Lap of the Gods and is a modern tale of ancient Gods. Dr. Krakenspreken (a name that will make any fan of Clash of the Titans or Greek mythology in general smile). There are different mythologies brought back to life in this story, each with his/her own agenda. Just as she did in AntiMatter Me, Bennion created a well written, creative story that could very well have been turned into a full-length novel.

     Overall this story really is a must-read, and the $0.99 price-tag on Amazon is a very small price to pay to be introduced to as many great authors as Wyrd Worlds offers. Since the stories are so varied I really can't review it as I typically do with single author titles.

I'm, instead, going to give the title an overall score based on the combination of each story.

As a whole I'm going to give Wyrd Worlds an 8/10 based on the fact that its an overall strong title full of indie authors that each brought their A game.

Since I didn't get to review the title as I nomally do, I decided to do a short interview with editor, and contributing author, Steph Bennion. At the end of the interview I'll post a link where you can purchase Wyrd Worlds and also titles by some of the contributing authors.

Whose idea was the collaboration?

 

It came about through my role as a moderator for the Smashwords Authors Group on Goodreads. I like to look through comments made by new members and there was a period when every other author joining seemed to be a science-fiction or fantasy writer who wrote short stories. I suggested the idea of an anthology via a post on the same forum and it took off from there.

 

How did you become tasked with the job of editor?

 

Once it became clear there were enough people interested, I decided it was only fair that I should volunteer my services! It wasn't a solo effort; a big thanks is due to Ross Harrison (one of the contributing authors), who designed the book cover for us, free of charge. 'Editor' is perhaps not quite the right word; I collated the ebook and made various decisions regarding the overall layout and so on, but on the whole the stories themselves were published as submitted.

 

There are many great stories by many great authors. We're there any stories that had to be scrapped?

 

There were a couple of authors who were keen to contribute but in the end didn't manage to write anything in time, which was a shame. There's always next time...

 

What was the general theme of the collaboration? Was it more of an open forum or did each author have a specific topic or idea to use?

 

Other than keeping it to science-fiction and fantasy, there was no overall theme. I think the anthology benefits from that; the stories are quite varied, with something for everyone!

 

Both of your stories were wonderful, I'm a particular fan of Antimatter Me. Did you write these stories before and submit them to the collaboration, or were they written specifically for Wyrd Worlds?

 

Thank you! Antimatter Me, which is told from the point of view of someone experiencing time in reverse, was written for Wyrd Worlds. I was reading a biography of the late avant-garde writer B.S. Johnson at the time, which gave me the idea to try something a bit more experimental. My other story, In The Lap Of The Gods, is something I've had on the back-burner for a while. It shares the same 'universe' as my science-fiction books and adds a bit of context to my novels Hollow Moon and Paw-Prints Of The Gods. The anthology was the encouragement I needed to actually finish the story!

 

Are there going to be more collaborations in the future between you and other authors?

 

I don't see why not. There's been a few comments about Wyrd Worlds II already on the Goodreads forum! I had fun working with everyone on this and I think the end result was well worth the effort of all concerned. And it's free!

If you would like to pick up a copy of Wyrd Worlds you can find it here.

Titles by some of the other contributing authors:

Steph Bennion

Alexandra Butcher

Ubiquitous Bubba

Emma Faragher

Ross Harrison - Harrison also did the wonderful cover art for Wyrd Worlds click here for Ross' personal page

Josh Karaczewski

Peter Lean

Stan Morris

Neil Shooter

Barbara G. Tarn

L.L. Watkin

Gary Weston

The Wake of the Dragon by Jaq D. Hawkins



     For this review, author Jaq D. Hakins reached out to me about her novel The Wake of the Dragon: A Steampunk Adventure. When I was younger I watched a few different animes that were in the steampunk genre, but I'd never read a novel.

     The story opens on a pirate ship, though the high seas are miles away. The ship is in fact a steam powered air ship piloted by Captain Bonny and manned by one of the best, and most unorthodox, crew around. Each one so full of opium and rum they should not be able to walk, let alone swing from the rigging ropes thousands of feet above the ground.

     Early on in the story its established that Captain Bonny is a unique Captain. Hawkins blended, in my opinion, the most likeable qualities in the classic pirate captains in pop culture, though I don't feel as though any certain one was a direct inspiration; He retains the stoic nature of Captain Jack's father Captain Teague, the relatable nature of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow and the ruthlessness of Black Beard, the real not the one from Pirates of the Caribbean.

     As the story progresses you're introduced to more characters that play a vital role in this story such as James Dudley, the well meaning nervous clerk, Zachary Wyatt, Dudley's scroogeish boss that treats him as a variable slave, Anne Bardwell, the seductive stowaway that longs for adventure in the open skies. Each of these characters, and more, plays an important part of the overall story involving Wyatt's stolen rum, that in itself gets stolen by a certain group of air pirates.

     The story moves along seamlessly, giving you a real insight to the characters and their pasts; all the while taking you all over England and even across the channel into France. It truly is a page turner from the get go, and the ending is possibly one of the most shocking and unexpected I've ever read.

      Besides the shear uniqueness behind the world Hawkins has created for The Wake of the Dragon, the group of characters and sense of adventure are all very creative and well done. The list of pros I could name for this story is immense, but I've narrowed it down to:

• As I just said, the world Hawkins created is very unique, even for a steam punk story. Everything about it feels new and wonderful.
• The characters all have a depth to them that keeps you rooting for all of them in one way or another, even the ones that you really hope don't succeed in their goal.
• The story itself, while being about pirates doing what they do best, is fresh and more importantly it constantly moves forward and keeps you interested.

     As far as cons go for the story, I racked my brain for some time trying to find something. While I did come up with one thing its based more on a personal preference:

• For the first half of the story Hawkins keeps the transitions smooth between the characters. Once the characters all get together it gets a little hectic and there are a few instances where it becomes a little difficult to follow which character is speaking. This is only on a few occasions, most of the time there is a clear break between who is being followed.

     I was told once by a reader that I like to much to be a reviewer, and the fact that I enjoy multiple things made it hard for him to believe the stories I've reviewed are as good as I've said. I purchased him a copy of The Waters Edge, The Seedbearing Prince, and he picked up a copy of Passion, Power & Sin. He emailed me back a couple weeks later and offered me my money back for the two stories I purchased, a request I turned down. Jaq D. Hawkins and The Wake of the Dragon is another story I would highly recommend to anybody who enjoys high flying action adventure. The steam punk aspect may seem uninteresting, or too odd for some, but I can tell you for certain that if you enjoy adventure stories than you will enjoy this story.

     In the end I give The Wake of the Dragon by Jaq D. Hawkins a solid 8/10 based on:

     7/10 for readability - The story flows well throughout. Its written in a style that is unique to Hawkins. The only downfall to the story flow is the few instances where following characters becomes a bit difficult towards the end.

     8/10 for story - The story itself may be one of piracy and reclaiming what was lost on the surface, but its written in such a way that it becomes so much more. The way the characters take their individual journeys and come together, just to part ways and become individuals again is unique and well done.

     9/10 for characters - Each character in this story has his/her own unique voice. This is a feat in itself as the story has so many characters, and each one is very distinct from the others. Even the classic steam punk mechanoids seem to take on a life of their own.

    9/10 for overall creativity - I wasn't sure how else to label this x-factor when I considered what made this story unique. I listed it as overall creativity because I feel just bringing a steam punk novel to life doesn't describe what this story is. It meshes the most wonderful pieces of pirate lore, that adventure and freedom we've all been in love with sometime in our life, with a steam punk world. It combines wonderful story telling with larger than life characters, it really hits the mark in so many ways that are unique to itself.

     A big thank you to Jaq D. Hawkins for contacting me about The Wake of the Dragon, I truly enjoyed the opium induced pirate epic. I can also guarantee that if you give this story a chance you will have found an author that you're going to want to keep up with, like I did.

     If you'd like to pick up The wake of the Dragon for yourself, simply click here.

That Which is Unexpected by A.L. Bridges



    Before I get started with the review itself, I do have to mention that this story will not be for everyone. It's not that its graphic, mature or that it contains content that may be offensive. What makes this story not right for everybody is the author, and the way the story is written.

    I don't mean that in a negative way at all, I really enjoyed the humor and off the wall pop-culture references that pop up throughout. I can, however, see where many people will read this story and find it a little to laid back and borderline silly. If you enjoy a bit of low-brow, semi-dark humor with off the wall, anime-like action in an overall well written story then please read on. One thing I have to point out is at the end of my review I interviewed Bridges, I feel like the authors personality is prevalent in this and to really understand the story you need to understand the author.

     The story beings following the main character, Cole. He's a college frat boy out enjoying the fast paced party life that involves drinking, smoking and plenty of coeds. The main focus of the opening scene is the bond between Cole and his best friend Jason, a friend who you find out pretty quickly has been dead for some time, and Cole is in fact 5 months past that memory.

     After learning his surrogate father, Uncle Eric, past away Cole travels to his childhood home and is reunited with his past. He falls back into his old 'family' easily, except for his 'little sister' that is a little more than that (While Cheza, this sister like character, was Uncle Eric's adopted daughter. Cole was never adopted and thus the feelings this story brings up are uncomfortable, but they really shouldn't)

     Before Cole can truly get settled in, he is thrust into the middle of a war that has been Eons in the making between the gods of various mythologies, particularly between the Norse god Loki and several gods/goddess' that span Incan, Aztec and other mythologies. These gods have very different agendas, most wanting to work together to stop Loki from bringing about Ragnarok and the end of days.

     While everything is sinking in, Cole finds out that he is a descendant of an ancient group of warriors that were created by the gods themselves. He begins training and honing his skills, all the while trying to avoid Cheza's advances and allow her to continue to live as normal a life as possible.

     Things begin to come to a head as a group of Loki's vampires attack the family compound and the bodies and bullet casings begin piling up, all the while Cold continues to fire off his patented one-liners that keep even the most desperate situation seeming light and even fun.

     The story, while again won't be for everyone, has a lot of aspects that I really enjoyed; some of the pros that I picked out for this one:

• The mash-up between the different mythologies is something that I've never read before. The cross over works very well.
• The characters all feel so real, and each one has his/her own personality. Whether it be the sprite-like gun toting maid, the naive teenage schoolgirl coming into her own, or the wise-cracking dead best friend they all have an individuality that work so well together.
• There is humor and off the wall pop-culture references littered all over this story. Whether it be Dragon Ball-z or Michael Clarke Duncan and so many more. At first it seems a little immature and you feel as though its going to be a distraction, but it becomes anything but a distraction. 

     There are a few cons to it as well, and a couple seem to contradict what I have said earlier:

• The humor isn't going to hit home for everyone. As I said earlier its a little low brow, and a little dark.
• There are a few small mistakes that come with new authors, specifically small things such as repeating ideas and 'extra' words. These are the same mistakes that all new authors make, and in no way do they take away from the story.

     In the end That Which is Unexpected by A.L. Bridges is a wonderfully lighthearted, comical, action packed adventure that keeps you turning the pages, and I mean that; I found it hard to put down and ended up finishing it over the course of two evenings though I could have done it in one day if it weren't for the civilian job.

     Overall I'm going to give That Which is Unexpected a 7/10 based on:

6/10 for readability - Being the first story Bridges has wrote it was very well done, and the bulk of the transitions are done well. There are a few times when a chapter seems to end, or start almost prematurely.

8/10 for story - The story is very creative, and new feeling. I know I mentioned it before but I can't give enough credit to the ability of the author to mash up different mythologies and make them feel like they belong together.

7/10 for characters - The characters in the story are very well done, each is an individual and has a distinctive voice. There are a few times when you feel like they change their speech patterns up, the main character does it a few times and it was a distraction until you realize he changes that pattern only when he's speaking to a particular character.

8/10 for uniqueness - I don't just mean the story itself or any particular character. This X-factor for this is overall how unique Bridges writing is as a whole. Whether it be the dark humor at the most inopportune times, or the main character having a fight with himself for two whole pages.

     I want to thank A.L Bridges for allowing me to read and review That Which is Unexpected, it really wasn't like anything I've read before in a great way. It blended action, adventure, anime, drama, romance(sort of), mythology into a, which I would consider on the border of new adult and adult fiction though it is so unique that an exact category would be near impossible.

    Since I mentioned earlier that the story was going to appeal to some more than others, I included an interview I did with A.L. Bridges. I think the authors personality comes out in the story, and I think seeing that personality with help sway some out there that still could be on the fence when thinking about picking this story up.

           What was the inspiration for That Which is Unexpected?

I first started writing That Which is Unexpected after having a bizarre dream. I’m not the type of person to remember my dreams, but this one stuck in my mind for some reason. I don’t remember much of it anymore, but I remember there being a dead uncle that worked in the film industry, a cousin that despised me for having a closer relationship to that uncle than he did, and a house where I grew up that had several goddesses living there. Then the dream ended as I was riding on the roof of a flying Trans-Siberian Express with a blue dragon flying alongside it. I only kept a few parts of that dream but it gave me the starting point for the story that evolved into The Gods’ Executioner Series.

A big part of your story is humor, particularly with the characters Cole and Tia. It seems to predominate much of the story. Would you say this is you putting your personality on paper?

Yeah, I suppose I could say that for Cole, but Tia is more related to putting my friend’s personality on paper. Her sense of humor is a bit like Tia’s and I just imagined how she might react in the situations presented.

Another large part of the story is the take on different mythologies. Have you always been passionate about draw different myths or was it something you researched for this particular novel/series?

When I was younger, I was fascinated by the different mythologies. I was constantly reading books on Greek mythology and really enjoyed them; some of my favorites were written by Rick Riordan. However, as I got a little older, I learned more about mythology on my own and realized that it’s far from the PG rating that most books fall into. The majority of mythology is rather gruesome and twisted, which I bring up several times throughout the series. I also noticed a reoccurring pattern of incest in mythologies around the globe that I also found to be interesting, which is partially why I made Chezarei as Cole’s sister and is something that I bring up in the second book.

As for why I included so many different mythologies, that was mostly because I hadn’t read a book that combined all of them. Most books about mythology only focus on one or two mythologies in depth while disregarding the others. I decided to toss in all the mythologies I could think of and only glance over them instead.

I know there's been talk about what genre your writing falls into, but I would like to know who you feel your audience is.

As I’ve said before, I wrote the books that I wanted to read so I feel that my audience is really myself and those like me: People who grew up reading fantasy books and are looking for something a little different now that they’re older. Several people have told me that the first book falls into the Young Adult genre and I’m inclined to agree with them. However, I wouldn’t feel right putting the rest of the series in the Young Adult genre for two pretty specific reasons.

The first thing is that I’ve always hated reading a book that has a buildup of sexual tension that ultimately just patters off with a blank scene, so I get more explicit in the following books, usually while wrapping humor into the scenes. The second reason is because the series has a time span of about five years and the characters change somewhat as they get older, just like everyone does. For those reasons, I wouldn’t feel right about putting the following books of the series into the Young Adult genre.

One thing I mention in my review is that the book won't be for everyone based on the type of humor, do you feel that's a fair statement?

Definitely. I started writing to write books that I wanted to read, and I have a strange sense of humor. I’m the kind of guy that will watch a sad movie, see the main character break down in the middle of the street while it’s probably raining, and think “How funny would it be if he got hit by a bus right now?” Then I start laughing, annoying everyone around me. I know some people don’t like pop-culture references so I will say that they’ve been greatly toned down for the third book and through the last book of the series. I think I have around two dozen references in the second book while I only have that many in the last three combined.

Lastly, I know this is a question that everybody asks every author, but what made you decide to start writing?

The reason I started writing requires a little background into me as a person. I’ve had chronic pain in my right hip for the past three years and it’s kept me from going to school without being on the kind of painkillers that could bring down a baby elephant. For the past year and a half, I kept postponing my plans to return to school. Last December, after postponing my return to college for the third time, I realized that I couldn’t take another nine months of watching TV, playing video games, or some other mind-numbing activity. So, to remedy that situation, I started writing. It kept my mind active enough so that I was able to jump back into my usual school routine four weeks ago. Now, I’m still writing in my spare time because I enjoy it.

If you would like to pick up That Which is Unexpected for yourself click here.

Jethabel by L.L. Watkin



       I've noticed since I began doing reviews that I've received several requests for stories that take place in space. Some pure sci-fi, some sci-fi fantasy, and even an erotica sci-fi fantasy, among others. At first I worried that I would run into at least one carbon copied space adventure that would be way to close to another that it would be impossible to enjoy it, let alone be able to give an honest review that would do the justice that the story would deserve.

      Luckily with Jethabel by L.L. Watkin, this isn't today. Instead of a clone of some of the more popular science fiction, you get a mash up of a thrilling sci-fi adventure with a little fantasy sprinkled in.

     The story begins on a planet in the Sheraton system in the middle of a galactic war. The ruthless Tren are systematically destroying ships, fleets and colonies in an attempt to expand their reach leaving thousands behind to eventually starve to death. This planet is also where we begin to meet our protagonists, and where the seemingly non-stop opening action takes place as the crew of the crippled warship the Eleisus gathers as many civilians it can carry on its new mission to escort its passengers to safety.

     This is a problem when the ship is caught in a fire fight as it exits the planet and becomes, yet again, crippled. The one glimmer of hope that the hundreds of civilians and military personnel on board have is a derelict, or alien ship, that is left over from a species that has long been extinct. Not much is known about these ships, but fortunately for the crew of the Eleisus the ship is large enough for them to dock inside and get a needed reprieve from the advancing Tren forces.

     Once on board the crew attempts to interface with the alien craft, and discover it is way more than meets the eye. It is learned that the ship is made up of organic parts, and even possesses a conscious of its own.

     As the story deepens Watkin does a wonderful job of growing the story while maintaining the smooth flow that starts from the first page and continues until the end.

     There are a multitude of pros in this story, as usual I've narrowed down a few that I feel are most important:

• As I just mentioned the story flows very very well. Each chapter, and mid-chapter transition is smooth and seamless.
• The story is one that shows of Watkin's creativity and overall skill as a writer. The shear scope of the story is immense, yet there is never a moment where you feel lost.
• The characters all have incredibly individual personalities. There are several instances where you can tell whose talking even before reading who made the statement.

     I had trouble picking anything out that I feel would be a true con to the story. I honestly wasn't able to really come up with anything that I could consider a con to the story. There were a few places where ideas/words repeated themselves, though I mean very few, and it was more of a mark of an author still honing their craft.

     In the end Jethabel by L.L. Watkin is a wonderfully creative, well written work that takes you on a true journey. Unlike many of its fellow sci-fi stories it isn't limited to a sci-fi audience; the story itself could be read by any fan of an action story or a thriller.

     Overall I'm going to give Jethabel a solid 8/10 based on:

8/10 for readability - Watkin created a well written, smooth transitioning story that flows very well. Its one of those rare stories that is truly hard to put down once you start reading.

8/10 for story - The story itself is a very creative one that meshes up different genres to create something very new that you have never read  before.

8/10 for characters - The characters are all very well done and each has his/her own personality. As I mentioned above each character has his/her own voice and you can tell who is talking most of the time by the way they're speaking.

Jethabel is such a well rounded, solid story that picking an x-factor is difficult. Each category above presents an intricate part of the story; without each one in this case it may have missed the mark, but Watkin brought everything together and created a great read.

A big thank you to L.L. Watkin for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to read and review Jethabel. I look forward to reading more of the series, and I know others will be too.

If you'd like to check out Jethabel yourself click here.