Playing Soldier

Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service

Book Reviewed by Timea Barbaras

“Playing Soldier” is a raw and masterfully written memoir by F. Scott Service. The book is dedicated to the personal experience of war. The author starts with the motivation that may lead someone to participate, takes us through a fragment of war, and ending his tale with the aftermath. Purchase Here.

Our journey along Scott starts at the very beginning with his childhood. He was raised in a loving home, but not a perfect home. An only child, he finds refuge from daily life in fiction and play. One day he finds the old field jacket of his father which sparks a new narrative for him, playing soldier. Dressed up in his father’s jacket and armed with a BB gun, he shares the battlefield with the neighborhood kids. School fails to hold Scott’s attention; he would rather continue to explore the many worlds of fiction. He was dreaming of becoming a literary world-builder himself but was repeatedly pulled toward more practical career alternatives.

The next stage of his life slowly ushers in and Scott marries his college sweetheart, Rita with whom he raises Spazzy, their beloved cat. Hand in hand they were slowly building their future together. But the sparkly surface blinds Scott from a dark truth that lurks in the corner of his consciousness as there is no substance to this projection of life together. The I became lost in us, or just in her. So, when offered the chance to join the National Guard, Scott, with his wife’s blessing, decides to follow his inner child’s call to adventure. The military still has an almost magical hold on him; it is shrouded in romanticism and thrill. What is more, the recruiter also flaunts the perspective of good pay and better employment opportunities.

But what starts as playing soldier during his training soon spirals into an unrecognizable ouster reality on the edge of existence, as Scott is dropped off in the Iraq war. This is not the military service from his childhood games, nor the image that was blooming in his imagination ever since. It is something beyond scope and reason. War morphs into a black sun that slowly burns away his sense of reality and self. And as Rita decides to file for divorce, Scott’s life from before becomes just another collateral of war.

Disillusioned by war, Scott tries to break his ties with the military and rebuild a new life. But the shadow cast by combat seems unwilling to let him go. The expected social reintegration is severely impeded by an ugly divorce, an existential crisis, and PTSD. The temptation of the final escape triggers a light in Scott and a new journey begins.

“Playing Soldier” is a deeply reflexive take on one’s own life and life in general. F. Scott Service skillfully draws in the readers through a series of intimate confessions and gets them hooked on a sweet melancholic note that rings throughout the pages of the book. The effortless and elevated literary language in the book can hook anyone, regardless of his or her interest in the topic of war. After all, this is a memoir dedicated to the human condition at its rawest, walking the line between life and death.

The Bubble

The Bubble by Joseph Patenaude

Reviewed by Teri Takle

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience the freedom of complete weightlessness and to float on gentle wind currents? Unfortunately, to experience total relaxation as if you were a bubble can only be imagined if you were a bubble. The Bubble is that story. Purchase Here.

Blowing bubbles is a delight for people of all ages. It is hypnotic to follow their paths as they maneuver through the air. This thought captured Joseph Patenaude’s thoughts as he observed his children blowing bubbles and developed those memories into a children’s book, The Bubble.

The Bubble is a read-aloud book for children aged two to eight. The basic setting is a coastal environment, so it is an excellent opportunity to enrich different types of places people live.

Lush illustrations match each text word perfectly, emphasizing the environmental settings such as autumn leaves, new springtime life, mountainous regions, stormy seas, colorful marine life, forests, lakes, and fields.

For example, as a storm approaches, the reader experiences the sheer fear of being a bubble encaptured inside its surroundings, being pushed by the wind, crashing into waves, and even hiding in the water. This picturesque perspective is an illustration of the story.

There are numerous opportunities for vocabulary development with terms such as shimmering, currents, gusts, seafoam, swelled, and crest. Many of the sentences begin with prepositional phrases and complex sentence structure, with longer sentences, enriching language growth opportunities.

Even though the intended audience is young children, teachers and parents could easily use this book for older children due to the vocabulary level, longer sentences, and illustrious language.

Also, for older children, The Bubble could be an example book for perspective since the entire story is from the bubble’s point of view.

The author, Joseph Patenaude, is from Vancouver, British Columbia. He is an I.T. professional and the father of two children who were his inspiration for this book.

Mauro Lirussi beautifully illustrated this short book with beautiful scenes that appear to be watercolors to match and illuminate the story perfectly.

The Bubble is a book that parents and teachers can often reread to assist the listener in picturing the rich text and the picturesque details in detail.

Saw the Forest

Saw the Forest by Patrick McConnell

Book Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

A read which keeps your heart as invested as your mind, Patrick L. McConnell’s Saw the Forest explores life through a multi-faceted lens, bringing attention to aspects of the human condition, wrapped in layers of emotion and motive through the experiences of life. Presented with a grove of eclectic characters, each on their own life’s journey but whose paths cross in dynamic and life-altering ways. Purchase Here.

A deft storyteller, author Patrick L. McConnell, captures the attention quickly with his literate narrative, which features a well-drawn cast of characters, each as interesting as the next to
meet, as well as somehow entangled within the same web of a diverse community collective. Moreover, the story divulges uniquely posed aspects of human nature, exemplified through the characters, inclusive of traits like love, bravado, religion, violence, as well as politics. Moreover, skillfully presented amidst relatable interactions which create an interwoven mosaic of human frailty and strengths, making exciting fuel for this evocative, character driven read.

Immediately, this literate, detail focused narrative brings into view the Right family; father, Artemus a doctor, Mother Taniaz, and their sons, Philip and Adam. The brothers are a unique pair, in that, younger brother Adam takes care of his elder brother Philip, who is considerably larger and stronger than him, but his mind is that of a child. As the family dynamic changes over time, after having lost both parents, the pair of brothers live humble lives as adults, still sharing a close bond. Adam, quietly stalwart, socially awkward, even reticent but well-meaning remains his brother’s faithful keeper who at times can become an unintentionally aggressive and intimidating handful.

Next, we meet Maryanne Whipple. She presents an intensely sympathetic character, and at age 24, she is attractive, and intelligent, but also scarred both physically and mentally. Additionally, having been recently released from service in the military, Maryanne bears a hard set life as she lives life from a wheelchair scarred from war and challenged with a mostly missing right leg and a damaged left, which makes finding a direction in life an uncertainty. And although she is somewhat shell shocked, albeit traumatized, she also harbors an empathetic nature as well as a brave heart.

As a matter of fact, each ensuing chapter adds further depth to the story with the addition of new characters, each being an intriguing inclusion to the story, adding another thread to the web of life especially when they intersect with the more prominent characters. Also meanwhile, an undercurrent of mystery flows throughout the story as machinations of characters and events occur via the receipt of mysterious emails coming to nun sister Alana Orrick, the context of which is often peculiar but also leads to life altering illumination.

All in all, I absolutely enjoyed Saw the Forest, by author Patrick L. McConnell. I am definitely a fan, especially after having read his previous work, The Gene Rasp. In particular, I find his style of writing, welcoming, entertaining and proficiently literate. He provides plenty of interesting action, characters, settings, and storylines. Additionally, his adept storytelling abilities escort you on a literary journey that is not only easily appealing, intricately detailed, and filled with intriguing personas, but also captures the imagination by virtue of the refreshing insertion of science fiction/fact-based elements. I definitely recommend this as well his other work as they are well worth the read and would make great movies.

La Chimere of Prague

La Chimère of Prague: Part II (The Chimera of Prague Book 2) by Rick Pryll

Reviewed by Ray Palen

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and one of the largest and most bohemian cities in the European Union. It is important to have an understanding and a sense of Prague to truly appreciate this novel as the majority of it is set there during the late 1990s. Specifically, LA CHIMERE OF PRAGUE spans the length of August – December in the year 1998. Purchase Here.

It was not that long before the action of this novel that Czechoslovakia saw a schism referred to as the Velvet Revolution and later the Velvet Divorce which saw the country split into the new Czech Republic and Slovakia. Prague is found in the former and by the late ’90s became one of the business and cultural centers in all of the EU. Author Rick Pryll knows all this only too well as he lived in Prague from 1997 to 2002.

Someone who knows and understands Prague even better is the protagonist in this tale, Joseph. He is an American ex-patriot American now living and working in Prague. He is not only leaving behind the U.S.A. but also the memories of his late love. In one of the most interesting love affairs in modern fiction, Joseph was involved with a bi-sexual mermaid who died under mysterious circumstances. He still intends to get to the bottom of her death but for now, must focus on his own life and moving forward.

Joseph recognizes that change is good and not everything with his new life in Prague is bad. For instance, there is the young woman Karina who he also fell for. Karina is a waitress-turned-supermodel who Joseph felt he could have a life with — or at least some really great sex. Unfortunately, Karina left Joseph and Prague as she took off for Italy with her English tutor. As Joseph waits patiently for her eventual return he immerses himself in Prague and the family and friends he spends time with there.

Prague in the late ’90s was also a time of sexual revolution and pumping-hot techno music that seemed to stream forth from every nightclub. What will frustrate the reader is how Joseph seems to fend away love at every opportunity. Pryll digs deep into Joseph’s family history and past and it easy to know him deeply. He is an extremely sensitive and self-aware person and you are able to slip into his skin and spend time as a fellow American living in a foreign country that was still fighting for its’ own identity.

As a businessman, it is intriguing to see how Joseph feels about Prague and its’ efforts to become a player at the high finance table. In fact, the socio-economic status of this time is enough to keep Joseph occupied and forget about his love woes and constant mourning for the dead. That is until things take a turn and have him once again opening up old wounds from his past involving his deceased ex-girlfriend. You know that it must mean trouble when the only person who might be able to provide him all the answers he needs is named Naked Pete. It would probably be really cool to say you had a friend named Naked Pete, the only problem is he is terribly unreliable and never seems to pick up his phone when you really need him.

The characters in this story are all somewhat bizarre and yet very real. This is converse to the Prague that Rick Pryll has invented, a place that almost seems dream-like or taken from a fairy tale. With a central figure like Joseph, himself a fairly odd and deep-thinking character, Pryll has created a novel that grows on you bit by bit. LA CHIMERE OF PRAGUE presents a handful of problems for Joseph to solve and readers of literary fiction will be drawn to this narrative and find themselves rooting for him right through to the stories’ conclusion.

Dangerous Bureau

Dangerous Bureau by Roger Williams

Reviewed by Daniel Johnson

Dangerous Bureau is a book about monsters. Not the kinds of monsters that hide under your bed or in your closet – hopefully. This book is about the monsters that live next door. The monsters that you see on your television every day. The monsters that we all know are out there, but can never see until it’s too late. Purchase Here.

Roger Darrell Williams brings us the story of Tara Helms, mother of two, loving wife, and former computer hacker extraordinaire. Tara quit her job as a hacker to take care of her sick son, and aside from spending more time in the hospital than the mother of a small child should have to, her life was pretty good. Until one evening, when her little girl was abducted by one of these monsters next door. After that Tara Helms’ life would never be the same.

Williams takes us down a dark path as the abduction and murder of Tara’s daughter Cindy continues to pull her further and further into the abyss in order to take down the man who killed her child and the system that supports him. The monsters that fill the pages of Dangerous Bureau grow more and more revolting with every turn of the page, and the reader’s hope for vengeance grows stronger with each word.

Dangerous Bureau gets its name from the Intellect Bureau which is a corrupt organization within the government, striving for global domination and willing to employ the most sadistic monsters it can find in order to do achieve that goal. The Intellect Bureau paints a bleak picture of the world that we live in, with those in power being able to get away with whatever they want as long as they have the money to buy influence.

On the other side, though, the book also presents us with a message of hope. Hope that wherever monsters exist in the world, there are monster hunters working to take them down. The hope that everyday citizens will not let injustice go unchecked and instead will stand up to fight for good. The hope that even when things seem their darkest, the sun might just break through the clouds.

Tunnels & Caves

Tunnels & Caves by Robert Haydon

Book Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

Kelly Wren and Angie Morrison are in a serious romantic relationship. They co-own a farm in Willow Creek, a rural town in Texas. Wren is a former sheriff who works on cold cases along with retired detective Wayne Tolleson for the Austin Police Department. Morrison unofficially helps with the investigations, which involve three cold cases: the double murder of a man and his girlfriend, the murder of a teenage girl, and the disappearance of a college student and her boyfriend. While Morrison devotes time to aid Wren and Tolleson, she also oversees the day-to-day running of the successful farm business and deals with a stalker. Wren and Tolleson end up in dangerous and life-threatening situations while pursuing satisfactory resolutions to the unsolved crimes. Will they be successful, or will the criminals get away with their abhorrent behavior? As Morrison’s stalker escalates to more intrusive and threatening behavior, will Morrison become the victor and not the victim? Purchase Here.

Robert Haydon has written a great mystery novel with twists and turns that transports readers directly into each scene and keeps them invested in turning the pages. Witty banter, camaraderie, romantic chemistry, skillful investigating, gun battles, and farm chores are integral to this aptly titled book, Tunnels & Caves, in which police detectives face challenges while trying to solve difficult and unsolved crimes. While the detectives work hard at solving the cold cases, other situations arise that are key to the overall story arc such as a train derailment with the escape of wild animals into the countryside, a murderous criminal on the run, and a stalker with a devious plan. Readers get to see firsthand the strategies law enforcement officials use in their efforts not only to try and find answers for survivors but also to identify the guilty parties.

Haydon has created true-to-life characters with personality traits that are unique to each individual, and all of their reactions and behaviors are believable in the situations they find themselves. Carefully crafted dialogue tailored to fit the characters brings them to life and engages readers by making them feel immersed in the fictional world Haydon created. The investigation takes Wren, Tolleson, and Morrison to a number of locations, and strong descriptive writing evokes a powerful sense of place. Tension and suspense are seamlessly woven together and builds up as the story progresses leading to readers being on tenterhooks until the final outcome. A captivating and riveting mystery penned by Haydon that gets readers so invested in the story they will not want to put the book down until it is finished. Tunnels & Caves does not follow the standard book format. There is no title page, the text is double-spaced, the chapters do not start on a new page, and there are no page numbers. However, this does not detract in any way from the quality of the writing and the overall enjoyable reading experience.