Category Archives: Review

Review

Implied Spaces

Leave a comment

You know that thing when people put their fingers together at their temples and make a little explosion sound and the hand gesture? Yeah. That one. Walter Jon Williams is that guy. He’s an old school (a year younger than I am) and been publishing his stuff since the 80s. He’s one of The Names to conjure with and I haven’t read anything like enough of his stuff. Now that he’s publishing it on his own, a lot more of his work is available to me.

Implied Spaces is a trip. It starts in a desert that reminds me a lot of Robert E. Howard and progresses … well … let’s just say it progresses from there. I’ll leave it to you to discover where it goes, but suffice it to say, you’re probably not going to guess from the first few paragraphs. Even after you meet his cat.

So, grab a sample and find a solid seat. This one is going to take you for a ride. Don’t believe me? Grab a sample and see for yourself.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Beggar Magic

1 Comment

I’ve talked before about how new magic systems can hook me in and keep me turning pages. H. L Burke has created an interesting take on the “audible” form of magic – the kinds of things that mages can hear but mundanes cannot.

In this story, the Commoner – Leilani – befriends one of the Highborns and the two girls are dragged into a mystery that threatens their lives. The story hinges on being able to hear the magic in the air and the degree to which those of the wrong class hear it. There’s a bit of a morality play at work here but Burke does a good job of keeping in the background.

Yeah. I suppose this would be considered YA fantasy but don’t let that hold you back. I enjoyed this tale immensely and was sad when I couldn’t find any more of Burke’s tales set in this universe. As always, don’t take my word for it. Why not grab a sample and see for yourself?

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Starship Blackbeard

Leave a comment

I’ve known Michael since he put his books up on Podiobooks. I chat with him online and I’m jealous of his globe-trotting habit. I’m still going to review this book because I loved it and can’t believe I’ve not had a review of it here yet.

So, imagine the Royal Navy in Space. With pirates. And slaves. And civil war. Imagine the hero of the last war is framed and headed for a penal colony.

Yeah. Now imagine that it all falls apart and Captain James Drake must win back his reputation, save the home world, and make a decision about whether he’ll stand-by and watch another race destroyed or step up and risk it all to save them.

Pulpy space opera goodness. Cover-to-cover. Intra crew difficulties. Pirates to the left of him, traitors to the right. What to do? What to do?

I had to wait for these books to come out but Michael’s got the whole series in one volume now. It’s back list but there are a lot of books set in this universe and I’ve read every one of them. I think you should, too, but don’t take my word for it. Grab a sample and see what you think for yourself.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Earl Of Brass

1 Comment

This is another title from 2014 that I remember fondly. It’s a lovely steampunk story where the steampunk isn’t simply adding googles, top hats, and clockwork. I remember the characters which followers of these reviews know is one of the key elements that drives my enjoyment of any book.

The plot starts with a dirigible crash and the recovery of our hero – Elian Sorrell – as he discovers his tragic loss. This loss drives him to find the plucky heroine – Hadley Fenice – trying to survive a tragic loss of her own, one that threatens her very livelihood. When the two meet, sparks fly – as they say – and the resulting tale takes them deep into adventure.

I’ve been looking for this book as I scan down through my Content and Devices list on Amazon. It’s one of those situations where I remembered the plot but not the title. I’m glad to have found it and to have found that Jorgensen has extended the series beyond that first offering I found in 2014. If you like a good story – steampunk or not – you might enjoy this well-crafted tale of love and brass. Why not grab a sample and see what you think for yourself?

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Mercenary Instinct

Leave a comment

I stumbled on this title back at the end of 2014. I’ve been reading Ruby Lionsdrake ever since. She has a deft touch with characters and plot as well as an engaging style that pulls me into the story and on to the end without fail.

This first book in the five book Mandrake Company sets the stage when Viktor Mandrake – mercenary captain meets – and eventually captures – Ankari Markovich. While there’s enough military SF happening to keep the pew-pew in me satisfied, there’s enough story in it to keep my brain engaged. Oh, as a bonus, this is actually a darn fine example of SF/R (the R is for Romance) and Lionsdrake does it better than most.

There’s a risk when an author mashes up two seeming disparate genres. The result has the potential to alienate two audiences instead of just one. Lately the SF/R community has been growing from the likes of Susan Grant, Linnea Sinclair, and Ann Aguirre, and Catherine Asaro (some of my favorites). Ruby Lionsdrake is one of the major players in this space.

But – as always – don’t take my word for it. Why not give this one a chance? Grab a sample and see what you think.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Love Handles

Leave a comment

I read this book back in 2013. I remember it for the humor and the characters. I like characters who aren’t the normal beautiful people. I just scanned the first few paragraphs and started smiling. It’s that kind of book.

The set up is basic “girl inherits the business, doesn’t want it, but takes it anyway.” Hijinks ensue. Between the in-fighting and lusting, it’s engaging enough and I fell in love with Bev myself.

This is the first book in what I see is now a six book series. I got through the first few in short order, but I can see I’ve got new titles to draw me in. If you’re a fan of romcom, you might grab this book (it’s apparently perma-free) and give it a try. You might find a new literary love of your own.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Pantheon

Leave a comment

I met Scott Beckman in person last weekend at COSine. He’s a new member of our group at Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and a struck me as a pretty savvy guy. Interesting sense of humor, open to suggestion. He seemed eager to share and to learn. I picked up one of his books last week and liked it enough to bring it here.

Pantheon is a classic journey fantasy. When his mother dies, her last request was for Lars to track down his family in a far-away city on another continent. When he gets there, he discovers that gods are real and participate in the daily lives of their followers. The title – Pantheon – isn’t just an allegory. It’s an apt and literal description. Lars manages to meet more than his share of them in his travels and few of them have his best interests at heart, which I found intriguing.

The story flowed nicely. I cared about Lars even as he left the burning pyre consuming his mother’s remains. He carried enough mystery – revealed slowly – to keep me flipping pages and wondering where the story would lead. Honestly, I didn’t see it coming. That’s a good thing.

I believe Beckman is one to watch as he develops and puts out new work. This is his second title, published just last year, and I’m going to be looking for his next book. Maybe grab a sample and see what you think.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Dating A Cougar

Leave a comment

Okay, I’ll grant you this isn’t my normal fare. I’m generally not in favor of labels, but in this case I just rolled with it and I’m glad I did.

This is one of books I read in 2014 while I was reading a lot of romance. I think it was a freebie from one of the promo sites and I went ahead and read at least one more after this because it was just too much fun. I was drawn to it because the main character is not the typical ingenue and the whole series is about women finding love later in life.

The set up involves a retired marine, a lingerie designer, and a family complication that resolves itself – as one might expect – satisfactorily. This is sheer popcorn romance. The story giggles along nicely and kept me turning pages right into the next volume. The Amazon page says there’s seven of them now and I may have to get back in to see where I left off.

These days we can all use a laugh and a warm feeling, right? Why not grab a sample and settle in. See if you like this one as much as I did.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

The Sculpted Ship

Leave a comment

Somebody over at the Space Opera FB group recommended this, I think. I grabbed it a few weeks ago and I loved it.

The plot starts with Anailu Xindar getting bumped from her job and forced to find alternate employ. She finds the ship of her dreams in the back lot of a used space ship yard — a ship she’s dreamed of her whole life. The problem? It’s dead or at least appears that way until Ana starts poking about under the hood. She manages to strike a deal … and anything else would probably be a spoiler.

The many characters are sometimes a bit cardboardy. The plot doesn’t run straight through, but takes a number of turns as it leads from first page to last. Ana seems a little Mary Sue-ish at times but none of those things diminished my enjoyment of the story. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that the next book isn’t available yet.

If you’re looking for a feel-good read, K.M. O’Brien’s Sculpted Ship is worth sampling to see whether or not it’s something you’d like.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Jack Of Souls

Leave a comment

I met Stephen Merlino at the Colorado Gold conference last year so I could tell him in person how much I admired this book. I admit to having an ulterior motive. I want to read the sequel and I hoped by encouraging him, he’d write faster.

The story concerns Harric, an outcast who seeks to out-run death-by-curse. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy that’s not the same old elves and vampires, for magic that’s not the usual wand and swordery. This one delivers. Stephen pulled me in with the characters, spun an epic tale, and kept me flipping pages. I read it almost a year ago and it’s stuck with me.

I can’t say enough good things about this story, but don’t take my word for it. As always, grab a sample and dig in for yourself.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]