Wyndona's Cloak

Wyndano’s Cloak: A Tale of Magic and High Adventure by A.R. Silverberry

Book reviewed by Chris Phillips

Silverberry’s debut novel is a surprising fantasy. There are all the classic elements. There is a headstrong and determined young heroine. There are the enemies and friends. As with any good book there are friends that turn dangerous and become enemies or almost. Then there are some that appear to be enemies but are really friends in disguise.  Purchase Here.

Since Jen’s early life she has been apart from her family, living in another world rejected and so different. She returned after the last battle with Naryfel, her evil aunt and queen of another rival kingdom. Now she has settled with her family and they are at peace. Her father the King is in the Rose Castle and the land of Aerdem is at peace. However, Jen has an uneasy feeling that her aunt Naryfel is planning to take over the kingdom yet again. Jen is always on alert and always watching for the surprise attack.

Leading the supporting characters is Bit, the young fiancée of Jen’s brother Dash. There is Pet, a Countess the same age as Jen, who is a friend, but there must be something else going on. There is Yalp the dwarf magician whose magic sometimes works and sometimes works too well and, of course, sometimes doesn’t work at all. The attack comes in the night. All seems to be lost when Jen and Bit take off on different quests to save the King and Dash from certain death. Wyndano’s Cloak is magical with very special powers, but Jen was hurt severely when she tried to use it. However she knows that the cloak is the key to saving the kingdom.

Will Jen find the cloak in time? Will the cloak be found at all? Will Bit and Dash wed? Will the King and kingdom be saved? Will Naryfel win the day? Will good triumph? Will anyone survive? Give Silverberry and Jen the chance to win the reader’s heart and spend some time learning the secrets of Wyndano’s Cloak.

The plot has sufficient twists and turns to keep the reader’s interest. The characters are solid and fully developed. The mysteries and surprises grab the reader’s attention and send the imagination scurrying. This is a delightful book and can be highly recommended.

This book is best for young adults and pre-teens. It would be good for their parents and teachers as well.

5 Stars
Published by Tree Tunnel Press, PO Cox 733, Capitola, Ca 95010 […] Reviewer received the book from the publisher.

Kahuna - Tampa Bay

Kahuna: Vol. 1 – Tampa Bay by Brent A. Phillips

Book Reviewed by Daniel Ryan Johnson

KAHUNA: Vol 1. – Tampa Bay is not your typical supernatural beings fantasy book. While the story does feature some of the usual suspects, like vampires and witches, these characters appear in supporting roles. Meanwhile, the protagonist of the story is a water-manipulating kahuna, and many of the supporting players in his world are equally unique “supernatties” that don’t live among the pages of your average fantasy novel.  Purchase Here.

Author Brent A. Phillips dives deep down into the imagination to create a world filled with unique characters. It is a refreshing take on a genre that can often feel overplayed. With terrific character development, you can easily get drawn into the lives of this diverse group. KAHUNA grips you from the start and makes you interested to discover what new creation lies around the next page.

Phillips tends to keep things light even when the darkness approaches. Humor weaves throughout the book despite the dangers constantly confronting our lead character Vox Montague. Sex, violence, alcohol, culinary delights, sports rivalries, and a diehard devotion to the ones he loves are the driving forces behind this likable lead.

The water-wielding kahuna plumber is tasked with keeping the peace among all supernatural beings in Tampa Bay and the surrounding Florida area. However, despite having the two full-time jobs of peacekeeper and plumber, he still finds plenty of time to drink his way into trouble and let his sexual appetites take the wheel more often than they should.

KAHUNA is an easy read that can be hard to put down. As the nefarious activity of supernatties continues to heat up in Tampa Bay, you can easily get swept along as Vox battles his way up the baddie food chain while attempting to uncover a plot that threatens the city and deeply affects the people closest to him.

Phillips succeeds in keeping the reader eager for more up to and including over the final page. The story is fast-paced, and the action and suspense continue to build with every sentence. Once you have finished the book, you will be champing at the bit to get your hands on KAHUNA Vol 2. Hawaii.

Season of the Dragon

Season of the Dragon (Dragos Primeri Book 1) by Natalie Wright

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

Natalie Wright’s Season of the Dragon opens up the Dragos Primeri series in a mystical storm. Using familiar elements like dragons and shapeshifters, the author succeeds in building a unique and complex world that easily takes root in the reader’s mind.  Purchase Here.

Following the life of Quen, a young girl born under a curse or blessing – a simple matter of perspective – we embark on a journey of magical self-discovery. Since she was a child, Quen was different from the other children, more agile, faster, and stronger. However, what set her apart most was her differently colored eyes, flaming red and calm blue.

A misfit, Quen tries to suppress her unnatural abilities in hopes of social acceptance. Yet, she continues lingering as an outcast until the day an ominous visitor comes to claim her. That visit sets in motion a series of events that lead to the destruction of her home and deeply scar her family.

Quen promises to seek revenge for the loss and destruction the dragon inflicted on her settlement and loved ones. Thus, she sets off with a group of diverse misfits to find and destroy the fire-breathing dragon and his rider.

Her quest for revenge is deeply intertwined with self-discovery, as her true identity is at the center of everything. All her life, she tried keeping her shadow soul at bay, but the ancient voice gradually awakens and bubbles over in her conscious mind. As the duality within her asserts itself more and more, the possibility of an ongoing harmonious co-existence weighs heavy on Quen.

Walking in the shadow of prophecy, Quen tries to break free of the shackles set by ancient words. Natalie Wright makes her personal quest our own as we uncover a layered and disjointed social system of magic, politics, and religion.

While Season of the Dragon is aimed primarily at a young adult audience, it is a mesmerizing read for adults as well. Natalie Wright’s world-building skills, together with her astute psychological and social observations, weave a compelling and multi-layered story.

Archangel:  The Book of Mammon

Archangel: The Book of Mammon by Black Mike

Book Reviewed by Chris Phillips

Title of the review, where appropriate. Questions, answers and the trouble in between.

Black Mike presents a major conceptual change for beings that might be called angels and demons. The story follows Michael, a law enforcement agent with an unidentified agency seeking out terrorists and related organizations. He is also an orphan who grew up from a very sketchy background of family. Another active character is Sara who is a detective with the local police force. Then the third person heavily involved is Michael’s sister, Hannah. The plot revolves first around Michael truly discovering who and what his place in this universe is, Sara and her relationship with Michael and, at last, Hannah and where she is and how does she fit with the crimes and questions Michael and Sara have for her about her activities and motivations.  Purchase Here.

The first scene is an undercover surveillance situation where Michael is trying to catch a terrorist who is trying to buy arms from illegal arms dealers. He finds the suspect and gives chase. Bright lights, supernatural beings and trips across the veil between worlds leave him completely blown away. Then Sara and he are introduced, and they begin a partnership that deepens as they each learn about these two-world existence.

These two worlds exist simultaneously and intertwined with each other. There are many gifts and magic as well as powers and principals in one or the other world. This is the whole point of the plot. To all questions there are answers, and the answers are big and little. Finally, when all is said and done the questions are more important than the real actions taken, and the answers all lead to more questions as the tale spins on.

In general, the plot is convoluted and complex in the extreme. The reader is only revealed answers as they are discovered by the characters in the telling of the tale. And, although the characters are well-developed and very realistic, their interconnections keep changing and morphing into something much more as the tale spins onward.

There is both depth and development of the characters and the plot, with many twists and turns. The length of the book is very much required to cover all the convolutions, so there is little frivolous content even though it sometimes appears differently.  The twists and turns follow the questions, the answers and the revelations that each of the characters discovers.

The original concepts and the way that the battles between good and evil develop are frustrating not only for the characters within the storyline, but for the reader as well, until suddenly another epiphany arises opening understanding and making for a very satisfying means of story development.

Although Black Mike has some very original ideas and some different constructs to develop the plot, he does so with a sensitivity to the “people” involved.

This is highly recommended for those who like supernatural plots, mysteries, or battles between good and evil. This is a quality novel, good for any reader with the maturity to deal with life and death as well as those many gray areas in living in the real world.

The reviewer recommends this book.   This is a great beginning for the first read by this author and the beginning of a good series here.

Ever the Night Road

Ever the Night Road by Michael Breen

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

Ever the Night Road is a thrilling tale of adventure and self-discovery. Michael Breen introduces us to a vast magical universe filled with wonderous creatures and treasures lurking in deep waters. Perhaps the most enchanting aspect of the book is that it is on the threshold of childish naivety and worldliness.  Purchase here.

 

This is a story about the many forms of loss and the innate human need to fill the gaping void left behind. Dagny is an orphaned child who was taken in by her brother’s best friend and welcomed as a member of their family. She is raised on tales of exploration and discovery, daydreaming of her own adventures. On a day like any other, child’s play seamlessly transitioned into a fight for survival.

 

Join Dagny through her awakening to the dangers of the world. Amidst mystical creatures and phantasms, the most dangerous being is man. As Dagny explores abandoned lands, degenerate cities, and drowned worlds, she faces myriad dangers. While Ever the Night Road follows a group of teenagers and children, this is not a tale of mercy. The characters are exposed to palpable physical pain and suffering.

 

Michael Breen opens our eyes to the contagious quality of courage and the force of small acts of kindness. While strongly independent, Dagny taps into hidden powers when joining forces with her friends. It is these friendships and her small deeds of kindness that shelter her from the heavy dark veil of fatal danger.

 

This coming-of-age adventure story mesmerizes the reader on multiple levels. The story has a melodic rhythm for its unfolding. The author also takes his time to paint the atmosphere and the characters’ inner states and have the reader inhale these two worlds. Furthermore, Michael Breen shows great skill in character development. He explores the hidden motivations of individuals while factoring in the influence of external societal forces.

 

Ever the Night Road explores the mystical darkness of the human soul and the breaking of light as rays of hope and love pierce through the darkness. After peering into the magical realms, lively slums, and cheerful settlements outlined by the author, resisting the call of adventure becomes futile.

The First Assignment

The First Assignment by Billy Kramer

Book reviewed by Timea Barabas

What happens after death? This is one of the greatest questions. While there are numerous theories and visions of the afterlife, there seems to be no absolute universal certainty of what lies beyond. Billy Kramer joins the ranks of wonderers by offering a cohesive and immersive narrative of the afterlife and life in The First AssignmentPurchase Here.

This young adult fantasy novel opens the gates to a gripping tale of self-discovery, becoming, and the interconnectivity between people. The tale, characters, and events evoke a strange familiarity in the reader. Some elements seem like a distant memory lost in the fog of time or a dream that dissipates at first light.

The First Assignment centers on life after death following the experiences of seventeen-year-old Shawn Turner. After waking up under strange circumstances, Shawn finds himself transported to a brave old world. Alone among strangers, his survival instincts kick in while he tries to understand his new reality.

Shawn is just one of many recently deceased who were chosen to join Wayward Academy. An academy of the dead in service of the living. This complex institution is a learning center, work center, and living space for those enrolled. While reapers seem to take the center stage, this is merely one of the groups that animate the space.

Bombarded with new experiences and concepts, pulled down by the weight of the unknown, Shawn soon finds comfort in the familiarity of new friendships. He soon builds a connection with a few other first-year students at the WA. Through shared experiences, whispered secrets, and knowing glances, Shawn begins to gain strength.

After being subjected to a series of intellectually, emotionally, and physically challenging tests, the new students are assigned to their respective jobs. Then, Shawn receives his first assignment. Waiting for someone to die offers Shawn ample space for introspection. Bound by strict regulations and under supervision, he sees a glimmer of hope to break through the chains and make a difference. However, taking this path would mean silencing his survival instinct.

Billy Kramer creates a magical universe caught in a mystical realm somewhere between life and darkness. The First Assignment builds the foundation of a new worldview that invites further expansion. While Book 1 may be finished, Book 2 lingers on the horizon.

 

Monsters are Babies

Monsters are Afraid of Babies by Nicholas Tana

Reviewed by Teri Davis

Living in a home with a big brother can be difficult. The older sibling expects a playmate who obeys their older sibling. There is usually a disappointment when the baby does not fulfill this role. Instead, the family member is a screaming, messy, smelly creature who demands all of the attention. The parents now are more tired and cranky than before the baby appeared. Resentment is common. Purchase Here.

Now someone brilliantly discovered a way to enjoy the babies for older siblings. The baby keeps all the monsters and things that make noise in the dark away. With quiet nights, a cry frequently annoys everyone in the household. What if those screams scare away all the monsters hiding either in the closet or under the bed?

Wouldn’t you almost welcome those loud noises to cover the usual thumps and bumps in every house? What sounds are unnoticeable during the day, seem to draw attention at night. From a dripping water faucet to the warmth of a furnace, clicking to turn on the night seems mysterious with noises. Due to natural occurrences, monsters hiding in the dark crevices are believed to be creating the sounds of those creaks and bumps in the night. They hide under beds and in dark closets. This reality has been a problem for eons. Darkness and house sounds scare small children, especially ones who don’t fall asleep quickly. Young children tend to believe in monsters making the noise of a furnace clicking on or a clock ticking. Can you imagine the response to a baby’s cry when being abruptly awakened in the dark?

Monsters Are Afraid of Babies is an enchanting story about a young boy adjusting daily to a baby sister into a family. The few words along with a story that perfectly matches the illustrations makes this an intriguing read for children of all ages, particularly three-year olds. The book is perfect for pre-readers because the story can be easily followed through the colorful pictures. Author, Nicholas Tana is a writer in every sense. From writing feature documentaries, comedy-horror series, songs, comic books, a movie, commercials, and now this special children’s book. The illustrations are phenomenal. The night with shades of blue and olive green is perfect with the monsters colorfully hiding in the closet. The warmth of family love penetrates each page enriching everyone’s lives.

The Ashorne's Ingress

The Ashorne’s Ingress by Seamus Eaton

Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

Truly a prolific read, Seamus Eaton’s The Ashorne’s Ingress excites the imagination with a multifaceted, and complex fantasy epic which proffers to readers an enticing narrative rich with the craftily blended elements of fantasy, horror, gore, magic, science fiction, and sex.  Purchase Here.

Initially, events start out on earth, the year is 2020 and we are introduced to the focal character William Gentry, who is in the midst of a softball game when his whole world comes tumbling down as he receives the news that his family was severely injured in a freak kitchen accident, that leaves his wife and son dead, and his daughter’s life hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, as he struggles with his emotions and the devastation of the loss, William finds himself approached by two beings claiming to be ambassadors from a land called Arba, located on another world. Claiming to have knowledge of his true identity and legacy, they extend to him a very odd offer, that if accepted would lead to saving his daughter’s life, and possibly more, they only catch is he has to drown himself in a specific river, at a specific time and carry with him an odd triangle they left with him called the Germ of Reismyl. Distraught, in disbelief and teetering on the edge of insanity, he initially misses the opportunity to take the plunge, resulting in the unfortunate death of his daughter.

Eventually, William (who comes across as a very sympathetic character) does take the plunge, later and winds up in Arba a world in turmoil, where greed, filth, sex, violence, slavery, treachery, magic, and the Triumvirate elite sacrifice beings for the sheer pleasure of attending a party, is the way of life. Arba is not an easy place to exist for its vast array of Denizens, which range from human to many creative varieties of beings, including goat people, reptilians, and amphibian humanoids. Moreover, as an entrant in Arba, William is forced to endure tremendous horrors, while making his foray into the Arban environ.

Meanwhile, stories within the story play out as different parts of the Arban environ, come into view chapter by chapter with a slew of characters and subplots which all fuel the story into the expansive fantasy epic that it turns out to be. Ultimately events around the Arban environ are shown to be playing out as devious machinations behind the scenes put into motion a hellish plan that would alter the Arban environment for the much worse.

Overall, The Ashorne’s Ingress made for an absorbing, entertaining epic of a novel that I enjoyed. Seamus Eaton wields literate lucidity with his writing style which successfully kept me wholly immersed and completely engaged within his epically expansive, adult-themed, fantasy world. I personally enjoyed the horror and fantasy elements that seemed reminiscent of author Clive Barker, one of my personal all-time favorite authors, particularly when it came to the more horrifying elements of the story. Additionally, there are other perks within this work besides the overall story including a detailed map of the Arba, letters from the journal of another human in Arba which gives great backstory elements, also a glossary which is very helpful, and a detailed history, as well as calendars. Ultimately, I would undoubtedly recommend this for fantasy fans seeking a new and extraordinary world populated with well-formulated characters to become immersed in. The read is well worth it.

Zintara and the Stones of Alu Cemah

Zintara and the Stones of Alu Cemah by Michel and Dominic Bohbo

Reviewed by Ray Palen

The debut novel from brothers Michel and Dominic Bohbot is a dynamic fantasy tale inspired by the love of speculative fiction instilled in them by their father. This is seen not only in the dedication of ZINTARA AND THE STONES OF ALU CEMAH but also throughout the narrative.Purchase Here.

We are taken to another world, one that contains mythical and imaginary creatures alongside human characters. There is a synopsis of many of the characters at the start of the novel and I admit I had to turn to it several times during the reading as there are a lot of names and relationships for the reader to juggle. The Prologue finds a young Zintara, human in all features aside from the great black wings that thrust out from her back, being sent away by her mother as her family and their empire falls in a violent manner. The antagonist of this tale, Korban — human warrior and sorcerer — is on a quest for the three Stones of Alu Cemah which will purportedly bring him the ability to rule over all.

Zintara is taken away by M’Hancha, best friend of her late father, who raises her and keeps her safe. We see Zintara grow into a young woman, her magnificent wings now displaying a mighty span. She is confronted by Korban, in possession of one of the three stones, and threatens to kill her the way he took her mother’s life if she does not give him the location of the remaining stones. Zintara gets away, but the battle with Korban costs him his hand — a deed he will no doubt seek to avenge to the fullest.

As Korban plots to find the other two stones M’Hancha is trying his best to protect Zintara from further confrontation. He also seeks to keep her away from Prince Ardelann, heir to the realm of Takla, and the burgeoning romance that seems inevitable between them. It is not long before a member of their realm, the nefarious Duke Galhuri, outs Zintara and calls her a winged demon and traitor. He holds in evidence a casket containing a bloody feather allegedly coming from Zintara and proof that she attacked the ailing Prince Ardelann. Zintara has no choice but to flee — on a mission to clear her own name and prevent Korban from obtaining the remaining stones.

M’Hancha advises Zintara to hide in the islands where she will be safe but still within his reach. It is here where she literally finds herself and this includes a meeting with an ancient dragon who assists her in recognizing her destiny. Meanwhile, Korban has become successful in his villainous quest for the Stones of Alu Cemah. To show the power they wield his first act is to create a monstrous armored warrior — a small taste of the abilities the demented sorcerer now possesses. The narrative drives forward towards the anticipated showdown between Zintara and Korban. He arrives riding an impressive dragon steed and, wearing a glove that calls to mind Thanos from Marvel comics, displays the three stones that give him power so mighty that Zintara may not be able to overcome it.

The Bohbot brothers are said to be at work on the next novel in this new series which should continue the saga of Zintara. ZINTARA AND THE STONES OF ALU CEMAH is an entertaining first effort as a novel, but for me the real winner is the outstanding artwork by Michel Bohbot with illustrations that truly brings the tale to life with each successive page.