Posts by webmaster
Justified
I read Justified by @jondelarroz, and I enjoyed it. Mr. Del Arroz has taken an interesting approach: Crusaders vs Jihadis in Space, and he does not pull his punches, nor adulterate his characters or plot with any anachronistic cultural self-castigation or other idiosyncrasies of our real modern West. The protagonist does suffer a crisis of…
Read MoreThe Water War
I read The Water War (Episode 1) by @ShirleyJwriter, and I enjoyed it. Ms. Johnson’s approach to the peri-apocalypse/fall-of-America genre is delightfully character-centered, and tightly focused on its ordinary folk. Rather than spending any time on the big movers and shakers, any reasons behind the events in question or powerful people exerting any influence over…
Read MoreReliquary of the Dead
I read Reliquary of the Dead by @DrDavidAFalk. Overall a delightful novel, and also one that gives me an excuse to talk about two potential pitfalls in fiction writing. The first is that specialists in any field other than fiction writing tend not to make very good fiction writers. They tend to be didactic regarding…
Read MoreThe Healing Stone
I read “The Healing Stone” by John Newton, and it is excellent. I have confession to rant: I hate “Young Adult” fiction. More generally, I dislike any fiction that centers on young people. I hated it when I was a young person. I once read of a YA author asked how YA fiction is made,…
Read MoreSt. George and the Dragon
I read “St. George and the Dragon” by Michael Lotti, and you should read it, too. It is excellent. Among the fallout from Tolkein, in his genius, is that ever since him, dragons have to be suitably epic. The little green dragon which fits under hoof in a medieval painting is no longer sufficient to…
Read MoreSample Chapter: Discoveries
The next morning, they both braced themselves for awkward questions, challenges about their precipitous exit, but they encountered none, principally because the rest of the household slept late into the morning and emerged, when they finally emerged, in slight and fragile capacity. The day after the ball was as quiet in the manor as they…
Read MoreSample Chapter: The Dinner
Upon entering the grand foyer of the house, Lilani spoke a series of quick orders to the butler in Faenish, which he received with nothing more than a stiff bow, and then he turned to address Josheb, who despite himself was still staring at the towering luxury around him. “Josheb, yes?” “Yes,” said Josheb, tearing…
Read MoreHow to attack the Bible
Always thought about reading the Bible, or maybe tried it once or twice, but it was just TOO MUCH? You just couldn’t find a way to get your arms around it? Allow this article to help you take another look at it.
Read MoreSplit Second
I like fiction from which you can actually learn a thing or two. Whether it’s military fiction with enough hard military action that you can actually learn a bit of tactics, or science fiction with enough hard science that you come away with some new knowledge in that field, a book that teaches you something…
Read MoreForgotten Ruin
This love-letter to the U. S. Army Rangers is, if shameless, also delightful, and if you like hard military action but you’re also a nerd, you should read it. Find it here.
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