GRANT LEISHMAN
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  • ABOUT
  • MY BOOKS
    • THE SECOND COMING
    • RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST
    • HOLY WAR
    • JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN
    • PARANORMAL ALLEY
    • TORTURED MINDS
    • THE PHOTOGRAPH
  • ARE YOU AN AUTHOR?
  • MY BLOG
  • Be A Part of the LIMITLESS Anthology
  • BOOK REVIEWS
    • BOOK REVIEWS
  • CONTACT & LINKS
  • AFFILIATE - Rachel McGrath
  • THAT'S LIFE
    • FOOD - PINOY STYLE
    • THE GREAT BEETROOT HUNT
    • GETTING AROUND THE METRO
  • PHILIPPINES
    • PLACES TO VISIT >
      • BORACAY
      • OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
  • SPORT
    • NEW ZEALAND SPORT
    • PHILIPPINE SPORT
  • TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
    • THE SECRET
  • GALLERY
GRANT LEISHMAN

a man called smith by tanya e. williams

30/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​A Man Called Smith by Tanya E Williams takes us inside a dysfunctional, blended family in the nineteen fifties and sixties. John Smith was just a newlywed when he volunteered for service during the Second World War. Seeing action on the beaches on Normandy and beyond, John survives but is plagued with nightmares and survivor guilt when he returns home to his bride and daughter, in Cedar Springs, South Dakota. Despite John’s trauma, the future looks bright for these childhood sweethearts as they await the birth of their second child. When John’s wife, Violet dies in childbirth his whole world crumbles around him. Alone and bereft of the love of his life, John sends the children to live on the farm, with his parents while he tries to drag himself through his insufferable grief. When John meets Bernice, it seems like all his problems can be solved. She’s not Violet (but then nobody ever could be!) but she could be the wife and mother he and his children desperately need. What neither he nor his children realise is that Bernice’s first, second, and third priority will always be, Bernice. So begins a downward spiral that will see all the participants sucked into this dysfunctional family and trying desperately to survive the angst and abuse that come their way.
 
Author Tanya E Williams tells the story of A Man Called Smith, through the eyes of two protagonists and through two time periods. John and his daughter Calla recount what it was like to, first lose their wife and mother and then how John’s marriage to Bernice drove a wedge between Calla, her brother Jarred and their father. The three boys born to the second union would fare marginally better at Bernice’s wicked tongue and hands than would Calla and Jarred but nonetheless they would also struggle with their mother’s vicious temper, belittling, and sarcasm. The character of John was an enigma in many ways. He was a strong, resolute and proud man but the war had instilled in him a belief that fighting achieved nothing, so he was always slow to rock the boat, to stand up for his children against “mother”. As a reader one wanted to seriously kick the man’s butt and tell him to stand up to the vicious, old slag. I’m sure that’s the reaction the author was looking for, so kudos to her for that. The style is simple, readable and somewhat relatable, although John antipathy to arguing seemed to stretch the bounds of probability at times. I found the story was fairly predictable at times and seemed a little formulaic for my liking. That being said, there is much to be had from the messages imparted by the characters, especially about the nature of war, the complicity of silence and the sheer lengths people will sometimes go to, to achieve peace – whatever the unseen costs of those accommodations might be. I understand this is the third in a series of stories around these characters so it may be that a reading of all three stories would open up the characters more and allow the reader to fully grasp the dynamics of this strained family relationship.             


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You can find A Man Called Smith, plus the rest of Tanya E. Williams' work, here on Amazon:  

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how god answered us all: spiritual, paranormal, the unknown by ruth walker

27/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Author Ruth Walker brings us a fascinating insight into the seen and the unseen, the temporal and the spiritual in her autobiographical account of the supernatural in her own life, with How God Answered Us All: Spiritual, Paranormal and the Unknown. Now on the cusp of turning 60, Ruth takes the opportunity to look back and document the many strange, inexplicable and deeply spiritual things that occurred over the course of her life. Many of these occurrences are odd, strange, and some might even say unbelievable with many of them relayed through the eyes of a young child from a vantage point far removed from the events. The author also takes the opportunity to impart pearls of philosophical wisdom about life, death, the unknown and her own deep faith in an entity that is not that as espoused by the churches of the world, which are seen in her eyes as a construct of man, not spirit. What Walker attempts most of all to do, I believe, is to open up our thought processes, to make us look around and realise that what we see, touch and feel may in fact be just an infinitesimal glimpse at what the Universe contains.
 
One of the things that struck me the most about Ruth Walker’s work, How God Answered Us All: Spiritual, Paranormal and the Unknown was that she approached the task of detailing her experiences, many of which as lot of people will scoff at as being hallucination or a young child’s overactive imagination, from a very logical, clinical, and detached perspective. This leant so much more weight to her narrative than might otherwise have been achieved. She never once seemed intensely proud or arrogant over her “gifts” but rather matter of fact and intent on understanding. If there was one phrase that kept recurring in my mind as I read this book it was this: “We know what we know and we even know some of what we don’t know but how much more is there that we don’t even know we don’t know?” To me, this was the essence of the book – to make the reader question everything we think we know about the Universe and life. She asks us to look at humanity and its understanding of its place in the Universe as a continuum along which we have travelled very little thus far and still have a long, long way to go. I loved her explanation as to why “only the good die young” – they have already done what they were sent here to do (what a cool thought). I can highly recommend this book to anyone with an enquiring and open mind. There is so much solid meat to get one’s teeth into that a short review like this cannot do the book justice – read it and find out.      


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You can find How God Answered Us All: Spiritual, Paranormal, the Unknown, by Ruth Walker, here on Amazon:  

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dart by dale renton

22/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​New Hope, was in many ways, an anachronism. The settlers of New Hope had left Earth centuries earlier yet as soon as they landed, a schism appeared between the two groups of settlers. In DART by Dale Renton we meet Darthanil Black, a Former and previously First Blade to the ruler of New Hope, Analine Wills. Now, framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Dart is on the run and that running takes him straight into the arms of the second group of settlers, those known as the Sylth. The Sylth have rejected the Former’s embrace of Artificial Intelligence and have instead made their lives as an integral and symbiotic part of the plant and animal life of the planet. Living close to the core of an active volcano, they are protected from attack by the Former’s. When Dart’s life is saved, sort of, by the beautiful and enticing, Sylth maiden, Amarth, Dart knows he is entering a battle for control of their planet. Everything lies in finding the two keys that will give ultimate power to the possessor.
 
I do like a good science fiction story with a moral message and DART by Dale Renton, is exactly that – a good science fiction tale that embodies a strong moral message for us. I liked the idea that even leaving Earth and settling on a new planet didn’t change the basic philosophical split between the two groups of settlers – one group wanting to use the Artificial Intelligence to terraform their new planet into a carbon copy of the world they’d left behind, with the other group, innately suspicious of AI and wanting to adapt to the environment of the planet they’d arrived on. The slide back into “middle ages” technology because of the separation of the two keys was what made the story even more interesting. I loved the relaxed, easy style of the writing of the author, plus the constant conflict and struggle between those that want to preserve and those that want to mould their new world with technology. The concept of AI and the potential it has to go “rogue” is something we are at the point of addressing currently and that’s one of the reasons I found this such an enjoyable read. The hatred between the two groups on Sylas was palpable and it wasn’t hard to draw some corollaries with happenings today. The scintillating wit of Dart was definitely a highlight of the read and I commend the author for his clever use of sarcasm and scorn to get his point across. I thoroughly enjoyed this witty, clever, and action-packed science fiction romance and can highly recommend it.         


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You can find DART, here, on Dale Renton's Amazon page: 

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blood of mystics (age of mystics trilogy book #3) by chris walters

22/7/2019

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​Blood of Mystics by Chris Walters is the third and final book in the trilogy of the Saga of Mystics series. Although I’d read the previous two books, that was some time ago and initially it was a case of settling in and reacquainting myself with the characters that I had come to love and enjoy in the first two stories. Author, Chris Walters has done his readers a favour by including a list of all the characters from the three books, at the end of each book and if you happen to read any of the books standalone (which you can do very easily), I would recommend you read the character list first to gain an insight into the people that make up this dystopian journey.
 
Blood of Mystics is set some three to four years after “the event” that changed the world forever. When all technology failed on Earth due to some sort of EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse), humanity was thrown into chaos and the thin veneer of civilization quickly cracked and splintered. Small groups, determined to carry on and survive began to form but at the same time, extreme groups of would-be rulers and dictators also sought to gain power and dominion. Throw in a fanatical group of religious zealots claiming “the event” was punishment from God and you have all the makings of an excellent dystopian story.
 
The group of survivors led by Kyle Ward and centred on a fortress known as The Bluffs are going to have to deal with a renegade of their number, Jack, who has managed to perfect the art of reanimating dead corpses and using them as soldiers and as his intelligence eyes and ears. Allied with “the event” was the rise in mystical powers such as healing, controlling light, controlling the weather, fire, and other abilities. These people, now referred to as mystics, will have a major impact on the upcoming battles and quest for survival as humanity tries to return to normal and create a civil society again.
 
Walters has a style that is readable, relateable and almost conversational. Despite the fantasy elements of the story, perhaps best exemplified by the dragon and the new group, the Angels, known as the A-Team, readers never feel they are past the bounds of believability and, for me, this is the hallmark of an excellent fantasy author. Walters also uses this story to highlight and celebrate the differences in us that make us human, as a counterpoint to those that would demonise these differences. It doesn’t matter whether the characters are gay, totally different in appearance (i.e. Cliff Ko as the demi-human dragon), or incredibly powerful and scary, the author manages to infuse them with qualities that allow us, as readers, to love them and empathise with them. I have followed the development of both the author and the recurring characters throughout this trilogy and must comment on the growth of the writer as the series developed. One thing that did stand out to me was the idea that nobody is irredeemable as we saw through the development and rehabilitation of previously evil characters.
 
This was and is an outstanding dystopian tale with an overlay of fantasy. In my opinion this is an exceptional read and one I’m sure all lovers of good writing will enjoy. I think the whole series has been a triumph and I look for much for from this talented author in the future.      

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You can find Blood of Mystics, along with all of Chris Walters' exceptional works, here on Amazon:  

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star child awakening (the zenkoti fables #1) by petra landon

22/7/2019

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​I’ve long been a big fan of both Petra Landon’s science fiction and fantasy novels, so when I became aware that Landon had started a new science fiction series, I was excited and first in line to receive a copy and read it. I wasn’t disappointed; Star Child Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables #1) was everything I had become used to in Landon’s writings – fast, exciting, full of mystery and intrigue, with a very human element thrown into the mix to soften the, often, weird characters. It, like so much of her work, is a real triumph.
When Novi, a young woman living on a remote mining outpost planet, sneaks aboard a docked star ship she is thrust into a world that she had longed dreamed of. Despite her modest upbringing, Novi has always been a dreamer and her dream was to travel the heavens. When she realizes she is now a stowaway on Ilar’s Justice, under the command of the greatest renegade and freedom fighter of all time, Ryfkin Soren, she understands her life is about to change forever. Ryfkin Soren and his band of freedom fighters are notorious throughout the galaxies as the only people to take on and defeat the mightiest and ruthless army in the Universe – that of the Guild Coalition.
When Novi is discovered aboard Ilar’s Justice she quickly realizes that the crew of renegades are not necessarily as scary as she had expected and indeed are tempered with compassion, friendliness, fun, and a heart for justice. She quickly finds herself drawn to the entire crew and determines to find a way to join them and be a part of their quest. Novi will discover, on their voyages, that she is much more than she initially believed herself to be. She will begin to understand that she has a part to play in this battle for justice and defeating the coalition. She is on a true voyage of discovery as she attempts to find out who she really is, where she really came from and what her future role is to be.
One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Landon’s stories is that no matter how weird or outlandish the characters may be, she always manages to infuse them with a sufficient amount of humanity and emotions for us readers to identify and empathise with them. As a character, Novi is the perfect blend of wide-eyed young girl and excited young woman embarking on a mission to discover herself. I really loved the youthful enthusiasm the author managed to inject into her character. The other principal characters in the story, especially Ryfkin Soren, all had endearing features about them that made their crew into one of the most feared and legendary groups in all of interplanetary space. I’ve always loved the simple, readable style Landon brings to her books and this one is no different. It reads like a “boy’s own” adventure story from my childhood but with many powerful, female lead characters that reassert the belief that women heroes are every bit as powerful and relateable as their male counterparts. Although not specifically broached in this, Book 1, I can see some amazing opportunities in the future stories for Landon to weave some romance, in the inimitable way she does, into the next adventures.
As a book clearly designed to set up the future Zenkoti Fables franchise, Star Child Awakening definitely hits all the right spots. We know Novi is on the cusp of discovering something vitally important to her future but also to the future of her new comrades and the inter-galactic community as a whole. I, for one, am extremely excited to see where this story goes next. Not usually a big fan of cliffhangers, I do love those that Landon leaves us with because I always know the next iteration of the story will be coming soon and it invariably will improve and expand on the current tale.
If Science fiction is your thing, or more importantly, if well-written, clever social commentary, delivered as part of an overall plot, and fast-paced, exciting action is your thing then you won’t want to miss Star Child Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables #1) by Petra Landon. I highly recommend it – roll on book two of this series.                

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You can find Star Child Awakening, plus all of Petra Landon's fantastic collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy, here on her Amazon page:  

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American Past Time by len joy

22/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​American Past Time by Len Joy is a delve into the world of family and family dynamics across several crucial decades in America’s growth as a world power and the incredible social change that was being felt across the country during that period. The author tells his story through the eyes of Dancer Stonemason, a semi-professional ball player who is just a few days from his potential major league call-up. It is September 1953 and playing in what could be the last game for his team, Dancer finds himself on the cusp of pitching a “perfect” game. The dilemma for Dancer is does he pursue the perfect game and risk his upcoming major league debut or does he put his future and his family’s future first and foremost. From the dizzying heights of adulation and fame, as a small-town hero, Dancer’s life and that of his family take a downward spiral. We follow them through the “bucolic” fifties, as life seemed to improve for all Americans, through the social change of the sixties and into the seventies, with the backdrop of that war that polarized Americans, the Vietnam War. Through all of this turmoil, Dancer seeks to find the path that will give him the life he so clearly wants.
 
Author Len Joy has given us a simple story, with a powerful message. In American Past Time, using the game of baseball as a metaphor for life, he portrays the rise and fall of a simple, working-man in rural America. What I particularly liked about this story was the corollaries that can been drawn between today’s rhetoric and that time in American, seen by many as the “golden age”. It’s well worth noting from this narrative that despite the “rose-tinted” glasses there was much that was not great about the America of the fifties, sixties, and seventies, particularly for groups of marginalized Americans, especially people of colour and those who did not conform to the strict societal and evangelical rules of the time, such as the LGBTQ community. I think the author did an excellent job at highlighting the immense social injustices of the wealth equality gap and the race gap, particularly as it applied to southern, rural, America of the time. Dancer, as a character was exceptionally well drawn, with recognisable flaws but with a heart for his family and his beloved game. The read is easy, the language simple and the story compelling. For me, I just wish, given the span of the time-frame, that the story had been longer. The time jumps were a little too large for my liking and more in-depth development of, say, Dancer’s son’s growing up and other interesting characters, would have been nice. That aside, this is an excellent read on the social, economic and familial dynamic of a period of American history often hailed as “the good old days”. For many, they weren’t.       


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You can find American Past Time, here on Len Joy's Amazon page:  

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unmarked by kate hansen

14/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Elisha Dullard is just a typical twenty-something young woman wrapped up in her own world of singleness, friends and shopping, in the very close future. In Unmarked, Kate Hansen brings us a simple, uncomplicated and frightening view of what that dystopian future could look like. Elisha loves the freedom and lack of worries her single life brings her but at the edge of her consciousness she feels the world changing around her. Her best friend Emily keeps trying to warn her that things are changing; the banks and the big corporations are consolidating their power and that very soon they will have no choice but to do things their way – online. Cash is disappearing fast from the economy and before long everything will be conducted online. But, for Elisha, the epiphany occurs when Emily relates a tale from the long, forgotten and mostly ignored Bible, from the Book of Revelations. When Elisha sees the prediction in the Book of Revelations coming true, she realizes humanity is in for a desperate struggle for survival and she will be caught up in it. With Emily brutally murdered by an ex-boyfriend, Elisha must face the coming trials alone, that is, until she meets the perfect man, in Michael.
 
Unmarked is a frighteningly, realistic take on where the world appears to be headed. Author Kate Hansen, brings us an unvarnished, largely unemotional, tale that is starker because of the way she relates it. I particularly appreciated the fact that Hansen resisted the temptation to take the fanatical, moral or religious high-ground in this piece. By making her hero a down-to-earth, somewhat scatterbrained and essentially “normal” young adult she told the story through eyes that any reader could identify with. I particularly like the allusions she made comparing what was happening now with similar instances in humanity’s history. The old, chilling, saying; “the veneer of civilization is dangerously thin,” kept coming to mind as I read these pages. Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the story was the ability to see the direct parallels to the dystopian world the author created, happening right now, here, today. That was frightening, in its own right. This is a fantastic, very simple, story of what can happen when good people do nothing and extremely well told by author Hansen. I can highly recommend this read to all, not just dystopian fans.      


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You can find Unmarked, here on Kate Hansen's Amazon page: 

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saying thanks and beyond: is saying thank you enough? by ralph mosgrove

14/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Saying Thanks and Beyond: Is Saying Thank You Enough? by Ralph Mosgrove is a timely little reminder that what we do and say can have influence far beyond ourselves. As the author compares small, random acts of kindness to the ripples of a pond, he reminds us that our actions do have consequences that ripple out across the Universe. In today’s hectic, me-centred world, it is sometimes easy to forget even the common courtesies that we were taught as children… the pleases and the thank you’s. But even more than that, it is the little things we do that can make an enormous difference, over time. The smile at a stranger, holding a door open for a person with a disability or with arms full of packages, the allowing someone in a hurry to push in front of us, without getting annoyed; all of these minor acts accumulate and are placed in the bank of “paying it forward”, if you like.
Author Ralph Mosgrove, in Saying Thanks and Beyond: Is Saying Thank You Enough? touches a slightly raw nerve in most readers, I am sure, as it asks them to look inward at themselves and perhaps ask the question; what am I doing to help my fellow man/woman? It doesn’t take much and for me, that was the success of this book. The author wasn’t asking us to make massive changes in the way we deal with and interact with others. The suggestions he makes are simple and easily put in place. What is self-evident but often overlooked is the benefit, to the giver, of these little, random, acts of kindness. As well as making us feel better about ourselves for doing something nice, the flow-on effect is what really matters. As each person is made to feel better, they also pass on that good feeling and your act of kindness is multiplied. It’s well worth reminding ourselves that this ripple effect works equally as effectively when we pass on negative, grumpy, or even angry feelings toward others. As a reminder of the importance of pleasantness and civility in our currently fractured environment, this book is a tiny, little gem – one to be passed on from one to another.             


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You can find Ralph Mosgrove's little book of joy, Saying Thanks and Beyond: Is Saying Thank You Enough? here on Amazon 

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coming up murder by mary angela

11/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela is what one would call a “cozy” mystery. You won’t find any blood and gore here but what you will find is a clear, definitive, murder mystery deftly handled by the author. In this, a continuation of her adventures, Professor Emmeline Prather, an English Literature professor at a small, midwestern University in Copper Bluff is dragged into a murder mystery that twists and turns like a coiling snake. The University is holding a Shakespeare Festival and much pomp and ceremony will accompany the display of an original Shakespeare Folio, a refurbished Shakespeare Garden, a performance by the performing arts department of Hamlet as well as music and a celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday and death. When the actor playing Hamlet pronounces in one of the University’s forums during the week that he will conclusively prove that Shakespeare was not actually the author of the work attributed to his name, consternation on campus is rife. When Tanner Sparks is found dead on a bench in the Shakespeare Park, the day after opening night, a murder mystery is revealed and Professor Prather along with her boyfriend Lenny drop their academic pose to pick up the amateur sleuthing persona for which she is so well known in Copper Bluff.       
 
What I particularly liked about Coming Up Murder was the simple, unpretentious and clean way in which author Mary Angela wrote the story. Yes, it was about murder but she was not about to assail her readers with all the gore and violence as so many authors are wont to do. I enjoyed the gentle, relaxed pace of the story and the blooming relationship between Em and Lenny. I also found the character of the nosy but well-meaning neighbor Mrs. Gunderson to be one that many readers would identify with and smile while reading. The story definitely had the requisite red-herrings and switchbacks that murder/mystery readers look for and right to the last chapter, I, like I’m sure most readers were still tossing up the possibilities among the suspect list. Angela’s writing style is simple, conversational and extremely readable. I’m not a massive reader of “cozy” mysteries but this book served to remind me of why the genre exists and why its readership is so dedicated and loyal. The greatest compliment I can pay any author who writes a series with the same characters is to say that I am now invested enough in the characters created to want to read other books in the series. If this is your genre and you haven’t discovered this author yet, I would urge you to try it. If this isn’t your usual genre, relax, sit-down, put your feet up and enjoy a good, old-fashioned murder/mystery that is hard to put down.   


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You can find Coming up Murder by Mary Angela, here on Amazon: 

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necessarily evil: prophecy (divine sitcom book 1) by shad nemo freud

8/7/2019

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Reviewed For Author Resource Centre by Grant Leishman 

Necessarily Evil: Prophecy (Divine Sitcom Book 1) is, “something completely different”, from the pen of Shad Nemo Freud. A self-confessed love of Monty Python, the author’s creativity and genius is clear for all to see throughout this amazing book that had this reader chuckling and grimacing all at the same time. As a reviewer, when an author tells me he is influenced by Python (especially an American author) I am wont to roll my eyes and shrug my shoulders – really? Someone from America, gets Python? Well, having read Shad Nemo Freud’s journey in Necessarily Evil: Prophecy, I can say – “well, it appears this American does get Python!” With a doff of the cap to Python and to The Hitchhiker’s Guide, Freud takes us on a surrealistic journey through the realms of demons, Gods, Devils, and all things evil but he does it in the best possible way.
Carl Beaumont, a half-Orc is an Inquisitor in the prevailing church on Earth, the Satanic Church and when he is sent on a mission by the Pope to save the world from a Prophesy that was written some two-millennium earlier, he quickly realizes this will be one of his most dangerous and difficult missions. He gathers around him a team of absolute misfits who bring a delightful diversity and comedy to the story. Their task is to gather the necessary items; a gun capable of killing a God, divine blood money to pay off a debt, as well as travelling through time to get the blessing of a dead God and they have just six months to accomplish this. Arrayed against them will be a plethora of dangerous and disgusting foes, ranging from demons of the Abyss, a Demon Prince who hates Carl with a passion, never mind the endless Nazi Zombies in the temple, all bent on the destruction of Carl and his merry men (and women).
Despite the incredible action, the magical firefights and the realm stretching magic, which is frequent and exciting, this story is not really about the “battles”, it is about the characters, the oddball team that Carl has put together to achieve this goal. Each of them has been imbued with a personality that lends itself to hating and loving them at the same time. Carl, with his arrogance, his chain-smoking, his drinking too much and his anger is beautifully counterweighted by his undying devotion to his wife and daughter, not to mention his love and loyalty to his fellow warriors. What becomes quickly apparent is that these characters, despite being as different, in as many ways as possible, is their unswerving devotion and loyalty to each other. For me, the character development was the absolute highlight of the story and was perhaps best exemplified in the reactions to the death of one of the main characters in Carl’s team.
This whole story was like a breath of fresh air to this reader. As I stated at the beginning, “something completely different” and something I’d been waiting for, for a long time. I loved the sardonic, dark, essentially British, humour and I loved the interplay between the characters which was natural and unforced despite the differences in their genetics and backgrounds. If I had one complaint about Necessarily Evil: Prophecy (Divine Sitcom: Book 1) it would be that Shad Nemo Freud (you’ve gotta love that name – right?) chose to end the story on a cliffhanger of sorts. That means I now have to read the next book in the series to find out what happens – but I can assure you that will be no stretch or punishment at all. I can rank this book as one of the best I’ve read this year.


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You can find Necessarily Evil: Prophecy (Divine Sitcom: Book 1) by Shad Nemo Freud, here on Amazon:  

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the last enemy: the last enemy series book 3 by dan e. hendrickson

8/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​In Book Three of The Last Enemy series: The Last Enemy, author Dan E. Hendrickson brings reader’s the explosive finale of the Cartel Crusher adventures. Commander Jacob Edwards was known throughout Mexico and the American border, as the Hero of Cozumel for his exploits over a decade earlier when, as a United States Coast Guard Commander, he foiled a planned assassination of the then Mexican President’s daughter, Marnia Gonzalez, aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Mexico. Marnia would go on to become one of Mexico’s most feared law enforcement agents, known as the Cartel Crusher. Jacob’s actions had put him in direct conflict with some powerful and dangerous people; Boris, a notorious Russian Mafioso whose sole ambition was the accumulation of power and money, along with powerful Mexican cartel lord Maximillian Manerez. When Jacob, his wife and his mother are all killed in a sabotaged plane crash whilst heading to Australia on holiday, it appears Boris has won – but has he really? Marnia believes Jacob was not actually on that plane and is determined to uncover the truth, along with Jacob’s father and his daughter Danielle.      
 
Having read the first two books in the series, it was a pleasure for me to be reunited with all the old, familiar characters in The Last Enemy: The Last Enemy Series Book 3. Author Dan E. Hendrickson has drawn characters at the very extremes of human nature. From the intensely patriotic and family-oriented members of the Edwards’ family through to the magnificent evilness of Boris and Maximillian. What I particularly liked about Jacob, as a character, was that he was flawed and defined by his actions that had seen him proclaimed as the Hero of Cozumel. He knew he had a dark side to him as evidenced that day but he accepted his limitations and still did whatever was necessary to protect his family and his country. I felt the author went out of his way to present positive and uplifting characters on the Mexican and Central American sides. Given the current stereotyping of these people, this was a real plus for me to read. Perhaps, and this could be just me, the finale was a little too contrived and pat for my liking but I am aware Hendrickson wanted to inject his underlying beliefs into the narrative, so it wasn’t a big problem for me. If you like a series with realistic action sequences, lots of twist and turns, plus some good, old-fashioned values and family love then you shouldn’t go past this book and this series. This has been an excellent series to read and one in which the author has grown as a writer. I look forward to what’s to come from this author.


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You can find The Last Enemy, plus the rest of this series, here on Dan E. Hendrickson's Amazon page: 

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primeval origins: rise of serpents by b a vonsik

3/7/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Primeval Origins: Rise of Serpents is the third book in the Primeval Origins series from Author B A Vonsik, which ask the burning question; “what if all our legends and myths about man’s creation are true?” Rise of Serpents takes us from the near future, 2030’s, when man is not only experimenting with genetic enhancement but is also openly embracing the idea of cybernetics, also known as transhumanism, back to the origins of humanity when Gods and Ancients strode the world with their power and domination over all living things. Two men Rogaan, the half-Tellen, searching for his father who is held captive and Aren, the Evendiir are thrown together as allies, on a mission that perhaps neither of them fully understands nor grasps the enormity of the foes they will face. Both of them are more powerful than they realise and they will need to be as they come face to face with some of the most powerful beings and creatures of these ancient times. They must face and defeat those that seek what they possess, including the most feared of them all, the one who calls himself The Vassal. The legendary Shunned, Luntanus Alum is holding Rogaan’s father prisoner and it will take all of the pair’s Agni magic to find a way forward.
 
This story is definitely one for the reader’s who seek true epic fantasy. Author B A Vonsik has created, in Primeval Origins: Rise of Serpents, a world in which all of our most fantastical nightmares and legends about the past and the origins of humanity have come true. Evil Gods and powerful, magical rulers hold sway over a cowering populace. Simply put, this is the eternal battle of Good vs Evil played out on an epic stage across epochs. I haven’t read the first two volumes and, in many ways, I wish I had as I felt overwhelmed and a little lost at times as the characters, familiar to readers already, no doubt, emerged and took their place in the narrative. The author has a superb and engaging style which keeps the reader riveted and turning the page. The fight scenes (and there are plenty of them) were incredibly descriptive and realistic. One could almost hear and feel the magical power in the air. I particularly enjoyed the relationship and angst between Rogaan, his “former” friend Pax, and Pax’s sister Suhd. More than the epic fantasy, for me, this was one of the main cores of the story, along with the developing friendship between Rogaan and Aren. If epic fantasy is your thing then I have little doubt this book will sustain you and give you plenty to think about, even if it left me a little bereft of understanding.


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You can find Primeval Origins: Rise of Serpents here on B A Vonsik's Amazon page:  

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