The Gatekeeper's Son (ARC)

I received this copy from the publisher through Netgalley.com and that in no way has influenced my opinion in regards to this review.


This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.





Title: The Gatekeeper's Son
Series: -----
Author: Chris Fladmark
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 313


Synopsis:
Junya [who I insist on calling Junior in my head] is the grandson of a billionaire, the son of a ninja and the Inheritor of a brand new power of the gods of light and darkness.
Another world is involved, lots of fighting, a cute chick and lots of YA'ness.

Junya must fight the minions of Light AND Dark, as he is the cross between them. He must save his grandfather, save his mother, destroy an evil monster and keep a legion of other worldly super ninjas from killing him, all at the same time.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this for what it was, a boys' fantasy novel. I don't think I'll be reading any more by this author but that isn't a negative on his part. It just means that it is a bit too YA for me to handle.
It takes consummate skill to write a novel for both men and boys and as this is Mr Fladmark's debut novel, he deserves credit for writing a very good boys novel.

Lots of fighting, your prerequisite cute girl, secrets out the wazoo, ninjas and a badguy who helps Junya for his own ends, *insert evil laughter*. That was the good stuff.

The 2 main issues for me were as follows:

1) Junya goes from being a shy, almost cowardly boy, to this strong young man who can manage a multi-billion dollar company with no real in between phase. It felt very awkward to me.

2) Junya's father. He is in the story, but is so token that the reality is that Junya might as well have been raised by a single mother. He is supposed to be with them and part of their family, but he plays such a small part, even emotionally, that he comes across as a prop more than a real character.

Other than that, no real issues worth discussing. This is the beginning of a series, but it ends up just fine that I don't feel the need to read any sequels. And the Series title is missing because Fladmark hasn't given it one yet.

Sword of the Archon/Cadman's Gambit (Shader #1) DNF

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer

 Title: Sword of the Archon/Cadman's Gambit
Series: Shader
Author: D.P. Prior
Rating: 1/2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: Did Not Finish


Synopsis:
Completely unable to tell what the heck was going on.

My Thoughts:
First thing. Turns out this is an Indie writer and in typical Indie *&^%$# fashion, Prior screws his readers over by releasing a "second edition" of this book, but with a completely different title and no indication inside that these are the same books.

That was enough to make me want to rage quit before even starting.

Then, the plot and characters. For perspective, I was confused but able to follow Erikson's Gardens of the Moon but this? Forget it. I was lost and wasn't able to figure out where, when or what was going on by the 25% mark.

And final nail in this novels coffin was the graphic rape scene. It wasn't explicit but it was brutal, horrible and completely outside the bounds of anything I ever want to read. It revolted me, it sickened me and it completely put Prior on my Authors to Avoid list.

This was a big fat Did Not Finish.

Acapulco Rampage (Executioner #26)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer


Title: Acapulco Rampage
Series: The Executioner
Author: Don Pendleton
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 126


Synopsis:
Mack heads to Acapulco to take out a fledgling movement, the New Mafia, headed by a Jew.
Said Jew doesn't like the Old Mafia telling him what to do and Mack makes a deal with him, be Unaffiliated and The Executioner will leave him alone until he crosses the line.
Sadly, the Old Mafia isn't going to take this lying down, so complete and utter mayhem ensues, Mack Bolan Style.

My Thoughts:
I can't get enough of these books. Mack crashes a luxury yacht into the New Mafia's headquarters, hijacks and lands their jet in the ocean and finally blows their base off the side of a mountain and into a bay.

How much more awesome do you need? And the super hot chick being the bad guy, cool beans.

Shallow, truly plotless, characterization is zero but so much fun. Kind of like how I imagine bungee jumpers justify their actions :-)

Vanity's Brood (House of Serpents #3 Final) (Forgotten Realms)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.

Title: Vanity's Brood
Series: House of Serpents, Forgotten Realms
Author: Lisa Smedman
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 320


Synopsis:
Arvin must rescue Karell before she gives birth. At the same time, he must prevent Sybil from freeing the Serpent God and becoming its Avatar.

My Thoughts:
The maundering end to this trilogy.

Arvin pretends to not know which way he wants to react for most of the book and the reader is expected to go along and then act surprised when he makes it.

The romantic angle between Arvin and Karell is milked for all it is possibly worth. Arvin's heritage is revealed and that makes everything ok between him and Karell.

Glad I read this, but definitely not worth buying the hardcovers, unlike some of Smedman's other Forgotten Realms works.

Walden & Civil Disobediance (Classic)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.

Title: Walden, Civil Disobediance
Series: -----
Author: Henry Thoreau
Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
Genre: Classic
Pages: 326


Synopsis:
Thoreau moves to Walden pond to live as a squatter for 2 years and rhapsodizes, as all scatterbrained, out of touch with reality poets are want to do, about how wonderful Nature is and how the Simple Life is the best.

In Civil Disobediance, Thoreau shows how him going to jail for a week because he wouldn't pay his tax is the height of him being completely independent. He also tries to make the case that any group of rational human beings really don't need a government because the Milk of Human Kindness will naturally flow between them all.

My Thoughts:
What a monumental tome of total Prickness.

Thoreau is an ass and every line he writes in this book simply confirms that fact. Nothing he writes has a true bearing on reality, everything is colored, warped and distorted by his belief that Nature is Pure and Kind and can Teach us Lessons. (and yes, the caps are on purpose, you can practically hear them)

I am glad I read this but no more Thoreau for me.

The Bacta War (X-Wing #4) (Star Wars)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.

Title: The Bacta War
Series: X-Wing, Star Wars
Author: Michael Stackpole
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 350

Synopsis:
Wedge, Coran and Co fight Isard and kill her in the end. Coran and Mirax get married and Mirax's dad, Booster Terrik, gets a hold of a Star Destroyer for his personal gad about the universe.

My Thoughts:
I really did enjoy this. It is just recently my desire to write reviews has plummeted, so I'm mailing these in and keeping track that I read them.

The Invaders Plan (Mission Earth #1) DNF

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer


authored by L. Ron Hubbard.

Read this back in junior high. This time around, I couldn't take the utter incompetence of the main character, who is a lackey for the villains.

Written that way on purpose, but it was just embarrassing and I was very uncomfortable.

Did not finish and will stick to Battlefield Earth & Final Blackout if I feel the need for some Hubbard.

Colorado Kill-Zone (The Executioner #25)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer
 
Title: Colorado Kill-Zone
Series: The Executioner
Author: Don Pendleton
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 104


Synopsis:
The Mafia hires a rogue army general [who happens to HAVE an army] who almost flawlessly executes a Bolan Trap. Emphasis on "almost".
Plus, there's a plot to kidnap the President of the United States for a Billion dollars in gold.

My Thoughts:
Sometimes I feel that is really unfair to give these books 3 stars because I enjoy the heck out of them. But there is more than simple enjoyment in rating a book.

I guess if this was food, I'd consider it a soda or an energy drink. Tastes good, feels good but a steady intake of such will hurt you.

So Mack gets suckered in by an old Vietnam buddy who has gone rogue. Fake military making Mack think he has crossed the line and killed soldiers who are just doing their job. A psychological tactic that comes this -- close to working. Thankfully, Mack's friends in the Mafia and the Government give him the heads up and so he can start thinking tactically again.

There is just so much awesome mano-e-mano gun battles that it makes my Manly Ego growl with delight.

Please excuse me as I go punch out some walls now...

The Fatal Tree (Bright Empires #5 Final) (ARC)

I received this copy from the publisher through Netgalley.com and that in no way has influenced my opinion in regards to this review.


This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.





Title: The Fatal Tree
Series: Bright Empires
Author: Stephen Lawhead
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 360


Synopsis:
All the Universes are ending, since Arthur bringing his wife back to life with the Spirit Well pretty much buggered up everything.
Now there is a Fatal Tree guarding the Well so the group can't get to it and stop Arthur and set the Universe back on track.
Burleigh has a change of heart and tries to help the group.
In the end, everything gets back on track and Evolutiongod can continue its plan.

My Thoughts:
Thankfully, this series ends.

It felt VERY fluffy and it was hard to feel connected to any of the characters. My last book by Lawhead. Sometimes you just don't want to review a book and this is one of those times.

Horizon Storms (Saga of the Seven Suns #3)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.tumblr.com by express permission of this reviewer.

Title: Horizon Storms
Series: Saga of the Seven Suns
Author: Kevin Anderson
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 672


Synopsis:
Surprisingly little happens in this volume.
The Roamers make an alliance with the Wentals [water elementals] and with the Free Planet of the Green Priests. They also find out that the main Human Empire has been pirating their space fuel and so cut them off, which brings reprisals.
The klikiss robots advance their plans to wipe out humanity and the ildarans.
The hydrogues and the faeros are duking it out and continue to destroy worlds and suns in the process.

My Thoughts:
Thankfully, this book didn't drag like the last one. However, not nearly as much happened. Got to the end of the book and went "huh? that is it" but not in a good way.

I consider books like this to be like eating frozen pizzas. They satisfy your hunger, don't disgust you and do what they are supposed to, but you'll never pull out the candles, the good china and silver and hire your neighbor to act as a waiter so you and the Mrs can eat a "le' frozen pizza".

Anderson is a b list author who has made a name for himself but I don't consider him to be a "good" author, merely a competent writer. His storylines leave a lot to be desired as do his characters and general blaseness.

I'll keep reading stuff by him and I'll probably lambast it each time as well. Hopefully that will help you if ever decide to read something by him.