jbronderbookreviews

The Mountain Place of Knowledge

By Marshall Chamberlain

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) A flash of mysterious blue light brings death to a U.N. official searching for a secret entrance to the inside of a Belizean mountain. Two U.N. scientists investigate, coming into possession of a scepter wielding miraculous powers, uncovering a blue-light source of destruction, and finding the hidden entrance. Inside strange sculpted caverns, bizarre mental prodding guides them to shocking experiences. To protect hi-tech secrets, cooperation is required from Belize, the United Nations, NATO, and the United States. But one nation determines the mountain poses a threat to world order and will take great risks to neutralize the danger.

The story starts as two scientists, Calvin Stanvich and Donald Courtney, and a young boy are exploring a Mayan ruin. Lead there by a sorceress ancient diary that Calvin has translated but not shared the full content, a strange blue light is triggered and Donald and the young boy are killed. Calvin has other plans for the things described in the diary. Unfortuantely, the death of Donald has brought too much attention and now the UN Institute for the Study of Unusual Phenomena (ISUP) has sent John Henry in to find out what really happened.

John Henry has just been pulled from an archeological dig in Zambia. The museum director has reason to assume Calvin is up to something because the gaping holes in the translation of the Mayan diary and the mysterious death of Donald. John Henry’s ex-military background and assistant Mary Ellen fly to Belize and discover a strange entrance to a hill that kills all electronics and has special rooms to teach people, the rooms that the sorceress describes in her diary.

But this is not going to be an easy discovery. Calvin decided to ask the Chinese for help translating some scrolls. This leads the Chinese to start investigating what is going on and planning on how they can gain control of the hill and all the knowledge stored within. Now John Henry and Mary Ellen need to explore, determine the cause of the death of Donald, and to keep the Chinese from taking the knowledge and creating weapons with it.

I liked the idea behind this story. It has a Clive Cussler/Indian Jones feel to it with action adventure, the discovery of mysterious artifacts, and trying to keep the artifact out of enemy hands.

Sadly I have to admit that the story is lacking. There is enough to tease you into wanting to find out more about the rooms in the hill but not much more. It almost felt like the idea ran out and that there was nothing more to add to it. I will admit that some of the conflict with the Chinese seemed to take over the story but nothing really added more to it. I was left wanting more information on the hill, disappointed with the whole Chinese conflict, and feeling let down.

Don’t get me wrong, it was an interesting story, but I felt like there could have been more put into it. I see that it is the first book in the series with the next one, The Ice Cap and The Rift, is out for purchase. I did like this one enough to want to buy the second book. But I will be honest, if the second book is similar to the first book and leaves me lacking, I may skip the rest of this series.

I received this book for free from the Library Thing Early Review Program in exchange for an honest review.

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The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass by Vera Nazarian

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Many billion years in the future, the sun is a huge bloated golden Day God that fills the sky, and the earth is a barren desert. The last remaining water has pooled at the bottom of the Pacific Basin in a thick toxic sludge-lake called the Oceanus by the sterile post-humans that inhabit its salt-encrusted shores.

Liaei is different from the others. She is a fertile female created out of ancient homo sapiens DNA from the dwindling genetic stores, and has been manufactured by the horticulturists in a genetics lab. Liaei has been brought to life for one mysterious purpose — she is to become the Queen of the Hourglass.

Growing up in Basin City, fostered by the quasi-female modern human Amhama — the same technician who put her cells together — Liaei knows she does not belong. She is lively and vibrant and has a savage full head of hair and eyebrows unlike the smooth doll-like humans around her. She is also curious and inquisitive, asking more questions than even the harmonium in all its complexity can answer — harmonium technology powers everything, can regurgitate histories of civilizations, process liquid toxic waste, conjure music out of the air, run the agricultural hothouses, and fly hovercars, and yet its origins too have been lost in the murk of the ages and it cannot satisfy the restless mind of Liaei.

What does it mean to be the Queen of the Hourglass? Why do love and emotions seem to mean other things to her than to others? And what is that meandering ribbon of light up on the distant Basin Walls, a mysterious bit of ancient technology called The River That Flows Through the Air? Can water flow uphill?

Soon, when she reaches ancient sexual maturity and undergoes the proper training, the Queen of the Hourglass will embark on a journey to meet her consort the Clock King, and there will be even more questions.

But now, the harmonium-based machines are failing, and suddenly humanity is running out of time.

This book takes place several thousands years in the future. There is little to no water left, everything is breaking down, there are no other creatures except the adapted humans. These humans have to grow all of their foods from DNA. They are no longer what we would call humans. There is little emotion and their bodies have become hairless forms that vaguely resemble what they used to look like. This is the end of the world, but they keep trying to stay alive.

Liaei has been created from DNA in a lab. She is the only human alive in this new world that we would recognize. He whole purpose is to mate with The Clock King and produce more DNA. Liaei grows up a guinea pig. All of her vitals are constantly measures and she learns about her duty from a computer that shows her old film clips, books, and others things from our current time to prepare her for her task. This is hard on her because she is constantly reminded how different she really is. She is the only human created from DNA that has survived in a long period of time. So it is crucial that she mates and produced more DNA that can be used to save the dieing race.

When she turns 15, she is sent to mate with The Clock King. But The Clock King is not like Liaei. He is frozen in time and is defrosted for a couple days when another Queen of the Hourglass is created. His memory is almost completely wiped clean. But he does remember enough to know that this society is dieing and he is tired of being nothing more than a stud for his DNA.

When Liaei and The Clock King meet, things don’t go as planned. The Clock King opens Liaei’s eyes to the world around her and makes her feel more alive than anything else she has done in her 15 years. But how is this going to affect the dieing human race.

This was an interesting book. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about it is all the training Liaei receives to prepare her for the meeting with The Clock King. This really shows how the society is locked into the survival mode instead of looking at the big picture. Here they are trying to fix a broken machine with no replacement parts or technology.

I admit that I was disappointed in this story. Although it has potential, it just didn’t do anything for me. It reminds me more of a story used for lectures than one to enjoy. If you like stories along this line I feel that you would enjoy this. Sorry, I thought it was more of one meant for the pleasure of reading.

I received this story for free from the Library Thing review program in exchange for an honest review.

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Take the All-Mart! by JI Graco

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Trip’s a post-modern cyborg with a head full of mind-machine interface gear and an ego no head can contain. His brother Rudy’s gut houses a miniature chemical factory constantly pumping THC directly into his bloodstream and yet he still can barely put up with Trip.

They roar into the Wasteland in their two-hundred-year-old mind-controlled Dodge hoping to escape the wrath of a jilted warlord queen — and end up having to take on a sentient, zombie-filled, world-devouring department store for the love of a sexy, orgy-loving cyber-chick. And a reward. Okay, mostly the reward.

The story starts out with Trip and Rudy on the run from the WOLFpack. Basically a gang that is wired into their leader that is sitting in the back seat of the Wound, Trip and Rudy’s vehicle. The plan to run into an All-Mart, a giant store/factory that is continually growing, claims everything in its way, and turns people to zombies. After negotiating with the WOLFpack, they are off on their next adventure.

They decide to go to Shunk. There they find that the main commodity is beer and the locals seem way to honest and friendly. They share everything and don’t even have a bank, just a vault in the beer factory. This looks like the easiest heist that Trip and Rudy have done in a while. But Trip runs into Roxanne, a nun of the No Mercy Order. This delays the heist then they run into complications.

Roxanne ends up running late for the worshipping of the All-Mart! after her night with Trip. The other girls of No Mercy don’t really believe in worshipping the All-Mart! but the mother superior does so they are all out. But something goes wrong and they are all sucked into the All-Mart! Trip steps up and volunteers to save them and get out of being hung for the heist.

This was an interesting read. I admit that when I first started reading it I was wondering if I should continue. This is an interesting story with jacks where people can plug into vehicles, free beer that is more plentiful than water, nuns that practice sex and drug use, a giant super store that takes control of other super stores, and everything in between.

It was a quick read and kept me entertained enough to finish it. But I admit that it is not one of the books I generally read and can’t really recommend this. It wasn’t a horrible story but not one that is really worth wasting any time on.

I received this book for free from Book Rooster in exchange for an honest opinion.

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The Necromancer’s Bargain by Latilya Sivar

3 stars

(Excerpt from Amazon) Any resident of Midgar could tell you the tale of the War of the Dead. The tale tells of a monstrous necromancer that came out from the forsaken forest with an army of the dead to slaughter the world of men. It is a story of ancient villains, and young heros, and the story defines Midgar’s character as a nation.

But is the story true? As Midgar prepares to take the war to the necromancer for the first time in generations, the truth about the ancient conflict becomes even more important. But truth is a slippery thing, lost to the passage of time. Our narrator seeks to detail the conflict from a new angle, after finding some alarming information in his ancestor’s old records.

The Necromancer’s Bargain takes place in the days leading up to the War of the Dead, and follows the story of a woodcutter named Drel, who is about to find himself embroiled in events that will change the course of history.

The story begins with Thorlin’s Point. This is a little village in the forest that’s sole income comes from the wood harvested from the forest and is purchased by the neighboring kingdom of Thelryn. But the lords of Thelryn have stopped buying the wood and Thorlin’s Point is on the verge of economic failure.

Drel is on of the residents of Thorlin’s Point that has a strange encounter with some wolves that lead him to a necromancer. The necromancer tells Drel that there is an army coming to eliminate Thorlin’s Point. But, with Drel’s help, the necromancer is offering to help Thorlin’s Point.

This is the beginning of the War of the Dead series. I felt this was an okay beginning to a series. I admit that I read the synopsis and thought the story was going to be completely different than it was. I think the synopsis is the idea behind the whole series. This story is more of the beginning to the War. I say that because the necromancer seems like he is on the good side when you read this story.

I was also a little confused on the whole character traits, especially with Sveria. There is a reference to her needing blood but no explanation except what is hinted to during battle and I still don’t understand the purpose.

Over all it isn’t too bad of a beginning story. There could have been better development but it was the beginning to the series and those stories are a little rough. Have to say that it was an interesting read, but not one that I’m going to be keeping.

I received this book for free from Book Rooster in exchange for an honest review.

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Run from the Reaper by Cristian YoungMiller

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) It awakens; Summoned by the will of a powerful psychic, The Red Reaper forces its victims to live their darkest fantasies. If they resist, they die.

In a college town during a record cold winter break, Jon, a lonely professor, wonders the empty campus barely holding on to his sanity. Unable to stay awake during the daytime he sees a red hooded creature in the shadows at night; immediately after, his twisted desires come to life.

Searching for answers he finds Clay, a local psychic who is more than he seems, and Sarah, a gorgeous expert on the underworld who has depraved secrets of her own.

Chased by demons and with the Red Reaper at every turn, the three must face their fears, survive its relentless attacks, and find a way to escape from the Reaper.

The story starts out with a man running for his life. The moment he stops, everything goes dark. He knows he has to keep running, to stop is to die. But when he has his legs cut off in an auto accident, he is strangely accepting. Jon, one of the people that come upon the accident finds it strange how accepting the guy is about loosing his legs when his life revolved around running.

Jon wants to find out what prompts that kind of reaction. He starts becoming obsessed with it. He even goes to Clay, a psychic that his student Sarah recommends. Clay points out that if you really want something, it will find a way of happening. Jon is not impressed with that answer.

But strange things start happening. He sees glimpses of a red reaper, the dog he adopts goes crazy, and then he starts loosing time. He comes to and finds out that he has lost three days and is accused of assaulting a student. Now he is on the hunt to stay alive.

This is a quick read that shows us how sometimes what we wish for may not be what we really want. The possibilities and the twists kept me wondering where this was going. I liked the idea of the red reaper. It’s a good twist from what we commonly think of when someone says reaper.

I have to say that there was a couple times that I got a little lost but I think that was because Jon had lost time. I was confused with the black reapers. The red reaper is trying to give Jon what he desires but the black ones are trying to kill him. Plus there were several black reapers floating around and only one red.

Overall, I liked this story. It feels like a first story and rough around the edges, but if you like thrillers, I think you might like this story. I do have another story of Cristian and after reading Run from the Reaper, I am excited to see what happens in that story.

I received this for free from the Library Thing Member Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

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Say Not What If by Andrew Friedman

3 Stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) “Say Not What If” is about a man on death row, and has as its theme the concept that time is our most valuable commodity. As someone once said, “waste anything but time, because we really are promised no tomorrows.” This theme is explored through the life of a man who sacrifices his marriage and everything else for his career. He realizes much too late the terrible consequences of this decision, and then desperately tries to regain those lost years by making a much worse choice. The resolution of this latter choice involves an additional examination of the concepts of accountability and responsibility, redemption, and the morality of the death penalty.

This is about a 51 page book about a guy that spent all his time devoted to work. When he looses his wife to work and becomes ill he realizes what he lost. Trying to make things better, he talks to the gods of Fate and learns that the only option to getting his health back is a horrible act, which he does.

This lands him in prison where he is treated horribly but makes something of himself. But during the time he is changing his life for the better, his sentence is almost over and he is once again realizing what he is about to lose.

I understand what the author is trying to get across. We should try to help others and not waste time that could be spent one important things and people. The rhyme did flow well throughout the story.

I do have to say that the price the gods of Fate ask for and him providing it really turned me off the story. I honestly had a hard time feeling anything for the character or even wanting to continue reading.

This is a quick read and has a good message. I am sorry to say that I couldn’t find it in myself to rise above the anger I felt and try to think better about the character and what he goes through. I am going to give this story a neutral review because of that.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Christian Zombie Killers by Jeff Kinley

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Ben Forman was just an ordinary guy, a young professional starting his first job and falling in love with his girlfriend. Living in the outskirts of a southern city, he didn’t think the zombie activity so common in the major cities would hit so close to home. But it was becoming clear that the mysterious infection reanimating the deceased was a growing epidemic across the country. The question was, would he stay alive or become the undead?

In this one-of-kind approach to teaching about sin, grace, and salvation, The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook tracks the fictional life of Ben Forman and offers solid Bible teaching to help readers understand the gravity and consequences of life without God, of life as a zombie. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Without the salvation Jesus offers, we are all as good as dead. But as this book teaches in a winsome, cutting-edge, culturally relevant style, anyone can kill the zombie inside, escape the clutches of the undead, and come alive by the supernatural power of God’s salvation.

This is a world where a virus infects people and makes them mad with rage. After they die, they come back as zombies. Part of the book follows Ben Forman. A couple years prior, his father was attacked by a zombie and killed so he couldn’t rage and return as a zombie himself. We start as Ben stumbles upon a zombie kill. The story follows Ben as he tries to get on with his life but seems to have interactions with zombies every time he turns around.

The other part of the book explains how there are zombies in all of us. Through our love for the Lord and following his word, we can over come the selfishness and inner rot. There are many references and a good correlation between zombie and our regular lives.

When I first got this book, I was under the impression that intertwined in the story would be the religious aspect, like the Left Behind series. I was completely wrong. There are two sections to each chapter. The first is the story about Ben then you have the preaching about how we can better ourselves.

I’m sorry to say this but I was a little put off with all the preaching. I understand what was being said, and if you want to say that my zombie was taking charge I will agree. I ended up skipping the preaching sections.

This is a good story, but be warned that it does get very heavy. If this is something that you don’t mind, I think you will really like this book. If you are like me, you might want to think twice about reading this book. Like I said, the story about Ben is great, but you might be skipping through half of the book.

I received this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for an honest review.

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Rumpel by Eileen Cruz Coleman

3 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Rumpel is the dark and quirky retelling of the Brothers Grimm Rumpelstiltskin.

When foreigners arrive on an island beach in search of a lost spinning wheel which they believe rightfully belongs to them and on which their very existence depends, the island inhabitants are thrust into a course of events during which some will become allies and others will turn against their own and Elizabeth Miller must defend her unborn child from a vengeful troll.

Rumpel follows several people but is based around the classic story Rumpelstiltskin. This is a darker, more mature version that we grew up with. Rumpel is a troll that had a wife and child that have passed. Through a series of misfortunes, he has come across the opportunity to reclaim a child as his.

Elizabeth is Rumpel’s target. She has been friendlier than she should have with the prince and is now with child. But being the target of Rumpel’s obsession and the king’s desire for an heir don’t mean things are going to be easy for her.

At the same time, the county of Niapson has people in the Rodavlas harbor. The Rodavlas king thinks they are looking for fish. The truth is they are looking for a spinning wheel that turns straw to gold. Niapson’s people are slowly starving to death and have been for about a hundred years. They know that the spinning wheel is in Rodavlas and they are prepared to go to war for it.

Once I figured out who was who and what was going on, I did like the story. It is a great retelling of the classic story. I really liked the background to Rumpel’s obsession with Elizabeth’s unborn child.

But, the story was very choppy. It took me about four or five chapters to figure out who was who. It also bounced around a lot. One moment we are talking about a woman that has a child by Rumpel, then we go to Elizabeth sneaking around with the prince, to Rumpel’s history, and I have still to figure out what is going on with spirits and their abilities being taken away from them.

I really feel with more editing to make everything flow better this book would be much better than it turned out to be.

I received this book for free from Book Rooster in exchange for an honest review.

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My Soul to Take by Tananarive Due

3 stars

(Excerpt from Amazon) Fana, an immortal with tremendous telepathic abilities, is locked in a battle of wills. Her fiancÉ is Michel. But Johnny Wright, a mortal who is in love with her, believes that if she doesn’t stay away from Michel, they will become the Witnesses to the Apocalypse described in the Book of Revelation.

Fana and the Life Brothers are rushing to distribute their healing “Living Blood” throughout the world, hoping to eliminate most diseases before Fana is bound to marry Michel. Still, they cannot heal people faster than Michel can kill them. Due weaves a tangled web in this novel, including beloved characters from her bestselling Joplin’s Ghost, in a war of good against evil, making My Soul to Take a chilling and thrilling experience.

The story begins with Carlos. His mother went missing in Puerto Rico then he receives a phone call that simply said she was dead. So Carlos goes to Puerto Rico to find out what is going on. While there, he stumbles into a group of people that are trying to hide a serious outbreak, which one of the victims is Carlos’s mother.

Phoenix, Carlos’s wife is a former rock star that is asked to perform a charity concert. Reluctantly agreeing to, while performing she finds that a lump in her breast is gone along with a stomach bug that Carlos picked up. The people in the audience are also cured.

We learn that Fana, an immortal that has healing properties in her blood, treated everyone at the concert. But she took a risk to do so. The immortals are all former people that have been given blood to keep them immortal except for Fana and Michael. They are the only two immortals that were born immortal. Although they are destined to marry, they have different feelings on humans.

Michael thinks that humans are a plague on this earth and has been using his blood to start all the different outbreaks of illnesses around the world. Fana feels that they should protect everything and everyone so she has been trying to heal all the outbreaks.

The story is mainly a conflict between Michael and Fana and within Fana about what she should do with her engagement to Michael. I didn’t realize that this was the last book in the African Immortals series. I’m sure if I read the series from the beginning I might have felt differently about it.

There is a good basic plot but I got bored with the back and forth between Fana and Michael. I could not even finish the book. I admit that I looked at the few other reviews out there and saw that Phoenix was supposed to be immortal but when I skimmed the rest of the book I didn’t really see much about her. It might have been a good book, but this one was not my cup of tea.

I received this book free from the Simon & Schuster Galley Grab Newsletter.

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