Excerpt and Book Review of Amber Gifts

Book Review of Amber Gifts

Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Book blurb and cover

Title: Amber Gifts

Author: Kevin B. Henry

Genre: Fantasy / Science Fiction / Time Travel

Amber Gifts, begins with the introduction of Mitchell, a man who never expected to become a time traveler. He never believed such a thing was possible. After a decades long downward spiral, Mitchell was at the bottom of life’s rungs. Until the stranger handed him a simple, amber vial he expected life to only get worse.

The Man told him to drink it. He did and Mitchell’s life changed drastically, but was it a change for the better? Now he was a time traveler and when asked to help some fresh acquaintances, he gladly agrees. A simple request to just find some items they had left scattered throughout time. How hard could it be?

All they wanted were the artifacts returned to them, but someone wants to stop him. It will take more than luck for Mitchell to find all the items and survive to complete his mission.

It seemed there was no length his adversary would go to bring Mitchell’s travels and his life to an abrupt end.

A scavenger hunt through time turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Author Bio

From an early age, Kevin B. Henry was a voracious reader. His collection of science fiction, fantasy and mystery books bring tears of envy to the eyes of many small community libraries.

Kevin has worked as an educator, technology specialist and day laborer most of his adult life. During all that time he lived the life of a frustrated author. That it took 30 years for him to piece together Amber Gifts is a testament that the best meals need slow cooking to bring out the flavor.

The Amber Gifts Series begins with Amber Gifts. The second story, which is really the first, is Amber Prelude, scheduled to be published in June, 2015. The third story, Amber Legacy continues where Amber Gifts left off. It will be available in November 2015. All are published by the wonderful folks at the Champagne Book Group. A fourth story is in the process of being written.

Kevin is a natural story teller, so it’s logical that he lectures occasionally. Topics range from the implementation of cutting edge technology hardware to the creation, modification and use of e-books within education. He constantly pursues research to expand his range of possible topics. His most recent research revolved around the aerodynamic properties of reindeer. He’s also been known to include little known facts and trivia within his presentations. Did you know just 146 years ago today the Union Army marched into Atlanta. It took longer than anticipated. They were delayed by a traffic jam on I-75 and the toll booth on Ga. 400

He continues to live in the Mid-West without human or domesticated mammal companionship.

Links

               Amber Gifts:                                                                   http://ambergifts.blogspot.com

               My Publisher (Champagne Books)                              http://champagnebooks.com

               Kevin B. Henry:                                                http://kevinbh.blogspot.com

               Amber Rants:                                                                  http://kevinbh.wordpress.com

               Twitter:                                                             @Kevin_Henry

               Facebook (Amber Gifts)                                http://facebook.com/AmberGifts

               Email:                                                                               kevinbh@gmail.com

Book Excerpts

Six

1938: San Francisco

Impromptu Escape Artist

I spun in the chair. My flight instincts kicked in and I dove for the floor behind the desk. My hand grasped the vial before I escaped the target that was once a comfortable chair.  I felt the second shot miss my head by inches. I gathered the package to me on my way to the floor.

“Wait. Stop!” I stammered on the way to the floor. I didn't believe for a second that he would.

I uncapped the vial with a flip of my thumb while securing the package in my inner coat pocket. I recovered the rubber stopper in midair. My dexterity surprised me. What circus had I escaped from where I learned these tricks?  I raised the vial to my waiting mouth. As I sipped, I took a quick look at my assailant. I wanted to be able to describe him to the Wilsons when next I saw them. He had bon vivant written all over him. He sparkled for the entire world like a fourth of July firework. I needed to ask about the meaning of that if I lived long enough. He dressed in a burgundy velvet smoking jacket, white tombstone shirt with a brown medallion ascot.

His face appeared cold and insensitive, if that’s possible. His blond, short-trimmed hair seemed not to move, despite his trying violently to get through the door and in a better location for the kill shot. When his mouth opened I would have sworn I saw his teeth gleam like one of those Crest toothpaste commercials.  A scowl of bewilderment appeared on his face as he rushed through the threshold. Perhaps he felt as amazed at my continued existence as I. He must have taken his first shot from across the hall and through the office entryway. I didn’t understand how he managed to miss the second shot.

“Sorry, mate.” He said in an Australian accent.

He had a gun in his hand, aimed straight at my head. It appeared to be a Remington Model 95 Derringer. I tend to notice deadly items pointed at me with such professional accuracy. I wasn’t going to trust my life that it was only an authentic double shot model. He had the look of someone intent on firing again very soon. How fast could he pull the trigger? How fast could I dissolve? I hate life or death experiments.

“1643,” I spoke softly. Instantly, I lay on an empty, white, sand beach.

Review: 

            Well I thought I would like this book right from the start since the first words in Chapter 1 are a quote from Doctor Who and I’m a major Whovian.  And luckily for me the book didn’t disappoint.  This is a fun read about time travel that would do Doctor Who proud.

            I love the way the author manages to keep the story straight and include historical facts, a few I had to look up.  This is a fun, quirky story with an adventurous edge.

            I give this story 4.5 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Book Review of Telemachus and Homer

Book Review of Telemachus and Homer

Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

 About the Book

 Title: Telemachus and Homer

Author: Scott Locke

Genre: YA Fantasy

For every boy who grew up in his father’s shadow and every girl who has been underestimated, there comes a time to look within themselves to see if they have the strength to meet the challenges of the lives.  For Telemachus this time arrives soon after Odysseus returns from his twenty year absence, when Telemachus comes to appreciate that his own life needs to be about more than waiting for his father to guide him.  On the verge of embarking on an adventure, he learns that his community has been threatened and realizes that he does not know how to help.  Swallowing his pride, he recognizes that Homer, a young blind woman is a necessary ally.  Homer, like Telemachus has something to prove, for although she is respected for her knowledge, she feels unfairly defined by her community.  Together, as the people of Ithaca’s last hope, they begin their quest.

Author Bio

Scott Locke is a graduate of Brown University with a concentration in biology and of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where he earned his J.D.  Scott has published many articles on various aspects of intellectual property.  Telemachus and Homer is Scott’s first publication of fiction.

Links

Buy the Book

http://indiereader.com/2014/09/telemachus-homer/

https://www.facebook.com/MANDEMik/posts/200246670102582

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7990125.Scott_Locke

http://www.mythforum.com/threads/telemachus-and-homer.1395/

http://blog.dreamtheanswer.com/tag/telemachus-and-homer/

http://blog.dreamtheanswer.com/2014/04/underestimated-and-living-in-a-shadow/ 

Book Excerpts

              When he arrived at the house, it was empty. This was no surprise, because everyone was at the party. Before he began to pack, Telemachus surveyed the house, just as he did the path leading up to it. He slowly walked up and down the halls, which were decorated with paintings and sculptures that depicted his father’s rugged features, chiseled muscles, broad shoulders, and angular face. As he had done so many times in the past, after seeing the dozens of tributes to his father, Telemachus looked at his own reflection in the back of a shield and in a still pool of water. He paused and felt his biceps, as if wishing to make them grow. But after a few moments, he again accepted his small stature, his soft features, and his thin body. In his mother, these features were a source of beauty, but in a young man, like Telemachus, they were a source of insecurity.

Telemachus then methodically packed two bows, thirty-six arrows, two swords, two daggers, a shield, a helmet, his paint box, twelve canvases, his journal, and rations that in addition to any fish that he could catch would hold for two months. If he could not establish himself somewhere and be self-sufficient in that time, then he would return to the world where he was be merely an extension of his father.

When everything was loaded in his wheelbarrow, he sat down to write a note to his parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

By the time that you read this note, I will be gone. Ithaca holds very little for me, and it is my time to explore the world. I have taken my ship. I am not sure where I will go, but I know that a journey is in my destiny.

I would have told you in person, but I know that you would have tried to stop me. I love you and will send word when I arrive at my destination.

Always your son, Telemachus

He sealed the letter with his family crest and affixed it to the door.

Review: 

I love retellings of old stories.  This was especially fun to read as both my children just studied the Odyssey this past year.  I liked the twists and turns to the story.

Mythology is a fun read.  I like the concept of bringing different mythological connections together.

I give this story 4 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Book Review of Nanovision

Book Review of Nanovision

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Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

  

About The Book

Title: Nanovision

Author: Paul Harry

Genre: YA Science fiction / Fantasy

Synopsis:

Daniel Raye was only sixteen when he walked in on a mob hit against his father. Brutally beaten and left for dead, Daniel awakens in a hospital to find himself blind and with no memory of the hit. Placed in the FBI’s witness protection program, Daniel is relocated to Northern California where he’s given residence with a long, lost Aunt who runs a bio-tech firm called NanoBytes. Over time, Daniel rebuilds his life and adapts well to his newfound family, but as fate would have it, comes under the scrutiny of the mob once again–but not before his Aunt finds a cure for his blindness. Using a radical untested procedure incorporating robotic nanites spliced with the DNA from animals and insects, Daniel is injected with a serum that only a mad scientist could create.

Does it work?

Better than anyone imagined.

What would you do with x-ray vision?

Author Bio

As a young boy I cut my teeth on Marvel Comics, Edgar Rice Burrough's serial novels,(John Carter & Tarzan)and classic movies like "The Day The Earth Stood Still." I also spent many days reading classic science fiction works by authors such as Asimov, Heinlein, Clark, Silverberg, and Bradbury to name a few.

In school my favorite subjects were English and Theater Arts. It is the combination of all of this that led me into writing, especially screenplays. I love the visual medium of movies and television though too many movies today put special effects ahead of the story. I think the greatest compliment I've received about my writing is that people can see the visual images I am creating as I write.

NANOVISION is my latest novel and I think readers will have a lot of fun with it. In writing the novel I used my forty years of experience in the Las Vegas gaming industry as a background for the story. So for those of you who might ask—Are the casino scenes real? The answer is most definitely, Yes!

My other works on Amazon are: THE 5 MOONS OF TIIANA, and THE GARDEN, The Unauthorized Biography of Adam and Eve.

 

Links

http://bit.ly/Nanovision

https://twitter.com/Sphere_Books

Review: 

Interesting tale about the dangers of new technology.  I like fiction where the outcome is possible when talking about technology.


I love the possibility of technology being used to heal, but the science fiction was great.  I wasn't as pleased that he fell for the "trampy" girl and in my mind he gets over her and finds a girl like his cousin.  You'll understand when you read the story.

I give this book 4 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Book Review of The Fire Mages

Book Review of The Fire Mages

Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

About The Book

Title: The Fire Mages

Author: Pauline M. Ross

Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure / Romance

Kyra has always been drawn to the magic of spellpages. She is determined to leave her small village far behind and become a scribe, wielding the power of magic through her pen. Halfway through her training, she has a mage as patron and her ambitions are within her grasp. But a simple favour for her sister goes disastrously awry, destroying Kyra's dreams in an instant.

Devastated, she accepts an offer from a stranger to help her find out what went wrong. The young man sees growing power within Kyra, potentially stronger than spellpages or any living mage. The answers to unlocking that power may lie within the glowing walls of the Imperial City, but its magic is strong and the unwary vanish without trace on its streets. Thirsty for knowledge and desperate to avoid another accident, she feels compelled to risk it.

While she focuses on controlling her abilities, a storm of greed and ambition boils up around her. Kyra is a pawn in the struggle for dominance between unscrupulous factions vying for rule of her country. Trusting the wrong side could get her killed--or worse, the potent magic she barely understands could be put to unthinkable evil.

Author Bio

Pauline lives in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with her husband, her grown up daughter and a mad cat. She likes chocolate, whisky, her Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, watching TV with her daughter, chocolate, going places in her campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. She dislikes driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals. ‘The Fire Mages’ is her second published work. ‘The Plains of Kallanash’ was published in September 2014.

Links

http://paulinemross.co.uk/

Book Excerpts

“Kyra, I’ve found a spell to prevent pregnancy, and if you were to write it out…”

“Deyria, I’m not allowed to! Even if I had the proper paper and ink, it’s absolutely forbidden. I’d be thrown out of the scribery. Besides, I’ve never written a true spellpage.”

“Oh, it doesn’t need to be real,” she said airily, “but everyone knows that writing out the spell and then burning it in a crucible - well, it isn’t guaranteed to work, like the real thing, but it increases the chances.”

“Even a true spellpage isn’t guaranteed to work,” I said acidly. “This is just superstition, Deyria. Without the proper paper, ink and quill, it can’t possibly have any effect. There’s no magic in the words themselves, the power is all in the paper and ink. It’s a waste of time.”

“But it would make me feel better about all this,” she said softly.

It was quite illogical, but many people believed such things and paid a little to have someone write out a spell when they couldn’t afford the silver for a true spellpage. It would do no harm, I reasoned, and perhaps it would bring her some comfort, even if it couldn’t possibly prevent her getting pregnant. It was clear that she was as good as committed to the Kellon already - she even called him by his given name.

So, despite my misgivings, I wrote out the spell on Mother’s regular paper, and watched the letters jump and shimmer as they settled onto the page. Then I gave it to Deyria, and her face lit up with pleasure. She hugged me and thanked me over and over.

“We’ll go to Ginzia’s house tonight. She won’t mind us using her crucible.”

“Not me, no. I’m a scribe, Deyria, I don’t like to watch ordinary pages burned in the crucible. It seems wrong somehow. The crucible is only for true spellpages.”

So she went alone and came back smiling. But that night, I dreamt of flames and ash.

Review: 

Interesting mythology.  I loved how the story unfolded and you saw things from the view of the girl.  And I want to live in this land and be a Fire Mage.  I can't wait to read other works by this author.  I highly recommend this book for any fantasy lover.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.