jbronderbookreviews

Orconomics: A Satire by J. Zachary Pike

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Brimming with swords, sorcery, and wit, Orconomics: A Satire introduces Arth, a world much like our own but with more magic and fewer vowels. For the licensed wizards and warriors of Arth, slaying and looting the forces of evil is just a job. The Heroes’ Guild has turned adventuring into a career, selling the rights to monsters’ hoards of treasure as investment opportunities. Corporations spend immense sums sponsoring heroes to undertake quests, betting they’ll reap the profits in plunder funds when the loot is divvied up.

Questing was all business for famous Dwarven berserker Gorm Ingerson, until a botched expedition wiped out his party, disgraced his name, and reduced him to a thieving vagabond. Twenty years later, a chance encounter sees Gorm forcibly recruited by a priest of a mad goddess to undertake a quest that has a reputation for getting heroes killed. But there’s more to Gorm’s new job than an insane prophecy; powerful corporations and governments have shown an unusual interest in the job. Gorm might be able to turn a bad deal into a golden opportunity and win back the fame and fortune he lost so long ago.

Promising fun, fantasy, and financial calamity, Orconomics: A Satire is the first book in The Dark Profit Saga, an economically epic trilogy.

J. Zachary Pike

J. Zachary Pike was once a basement-dwelling fantasy gamer, but over time he metamorphosed into a basement-dwelling fantasy writer. By day Zack is a web professional and creative-for-hire, but at night he returns to his lair to create books, films, and illustrations that meld fantasy elements with offbeat humor. A New Englander by birth and by temperament, Zack writes strangely funny fiction on the seacoast of New Hampshire.

My Review

5 stars

In the world of Arth, The Heroes’ Guide has turned slaying and looting into the economy of the world. Now you can invest in different quests with the possibility of profit from the loot that may be claimed. This story is about Gorm. He went on a quest that ended badly and has been disgraced. But he is confronted by the Guild that gives him the option of go on a quest for a mad goddess or death. So, Gorm gets the rejects of all quest companions and is now trying to make the best of a crummy situation.

This is an amazing story! I love fantasy and when I saw this book I couldn’t wait to get reading it. This turns you normal fantasy quest on its head with a disgraced dwarf and a group of companions that are more likely to kill each other than work together.

I was laughing all through this book. From the farmer haggling over a reward for running off goblins to Noncombatant Paper Carriers (NPC) to protect them from injury from the agents of light. As a child that grew up around Dungeons and Dragons this book was perfect. I can’t wait to read other books from Pike.

To purchase Orconomics make sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and J. Zachary Pike’s website.

I received Orconomics for free from Sage’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review.

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Scar Tissue by MC Domovitch

(Excerpt from Goodreads) When successful model Ciara Kelly wakes up in hospital, remembering nothing of the weeks she has been missing, her only clues are the ugly words carved into her skin. According to the police she was a victim of the Cutter, a serial killer who has already murdered three women. For her protection the police and her doctors give a press conference, announcing that because her amnesia is organically caused, her memory loss is permanent. But, whether her memory returns or not is anybody’s guess. Overnight, Ciara’s glamorous life is gone. Her scars have killed both her modelling career and her relationship with her rich boyfriend. With nothing to keep her in New York, she returns to her home town of Seattle, moves in with her sister and goes about building a new life. But when her sister lets it slip that Ciara’s memory is returning, the killer comes after her again. If Ciara is to stay alive, she must keep one step ahead of the Cutter.

M.C. Domovitch

MC Domovitch is the author of nine novels. She is hard at work on her tenth, Seeing Evil, due out in Fall of 2016.
She lives with her physician husband and their two dogs, diving their time between homes in Canada and the Florida Keys.

My Review

5 stars

We start with Ciara running for her life. She has escaped something and while trying to get help is hit by a car. At the same time her kidnapper is talking on the phone with another party about the escape. Ciara ends up in a coma and awakens to learn that she has scars all over her body, been the victim of the serial killer the Cutter, and has some brain damage. Her modeling career is over along with no longer having a rich boyfriend. She returns to Seattle to live with her sister and get her life back in order. But two years later she may have had a memory and her sister tells Ciara’s ex-boyfriend. This puts Ciara back on the radar when the Cutter wants to stop Ciara permanently.

This is a great thriller. You can’t help but feel bad for Ciara. She has made her own place in life although it is very private and quiet. But when the Cutter comes back it is one mad rush for her to figure out who the killer is and to try and stay alive. I loved the paranormal abilities she gets and I love how it comes into play in the end of the story.

I quickly read Scar Tissue in two days. I got caught up in the story and thought I knew who the Cutter was but I admit that I was wrong. There was lots of action and a great story. If you want a great thriller to read I recommend you check out Scar Tissue.

To purchase Scar Tissue make sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.

I received Scar Tissue for free from Worldwide Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

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