“Not now, McGonagall. I’m interrogating Harry.”

Flashback! You are entering a new grade in elementary school. It is the year 1998, and the backwards baseball hat is in style. The cool kids are talking about “Harry Potter” – a sweater clad orphan that rides a broomstick. Teachers everywhere are overjoyed to see their students take an interest in reading books instead of watching MTV and skateboarding. Suddenly, the Harry Potter wave spreads. Soon, everyone will be curious about the adventures beyond Platform 9¾. The Vatican will denounce J.K. Rowling’s work as witchcraft and every boy with brown hair and glasses will be told that they look like Harry Potter, which is actually quite a compliment in many ways. 

It is not surprising that the Harry Potter series has captured and maintained such a loyal fanbase. After all, the books grew up with the readers. As Harry began to discover what he wanted in life, so did we. As Harry developed everlasting friendships, so did we. As Harry went through periods of both joy and sorrow, so did we. As Harry got rejected by the Ravenclaw as his date to the Yule Ball, so did we. (That’s right, Wendy. I still remember.) So of course the books’ popularity spawned movies, videogames, comics, hundreds of fan sites, forums, and spin-offs. But it doesn’t end there. The world of Hogwarts has been (and continues to be) analyzed from Azkaban to the Zombie Trails. Readers of the books and fans of the films are determined to search every stone in the walls of Hogwarts for more information about their favorite wizarding world, and that’s where Boughey and Earnest step in.

“Hey Harry, what’re ya doin’?” I dunno, spyin’ and stuff.

Due to their extensive backgrounds in the world of spycraft, it should come as no surprise that this is a subject they hold in high regard. Harry Potter and the Art of Spying examines our hero’s growth as a young recruit to a top secret covert operative from his tenure at Hogwarts. It is apparent that the writers are experts on the subject, and the extensive contributions of Courtney Klein and Nichole Ellis certainly help make the case that Harry is a damn good secret agent. The Art of Spying begins with a chapter-by-chapter analysis of Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix, the fifth book in J.K. Rowling’s seven book saga. This essentially means that the reader is expected to know all the major plot points of the series beforehand. While it may seem odd to immediately jump right in to book five without first examining the previous four entries, the concept works rather well. It is explained that Harry’s true talents as a spy don’t really hold much weight until Dumbledore’s Army and the Ministry of Magic enter the fray. The first 38 chapters (yes, 38) are littered with footnotes and endnotes, as well as personal quips from the authors; in many ways it reads more like a fun lecture than an actual textbook.

This does not necessarily mean that everything from Sorcerer’s Stone to Goblet of Fire received the axe, however. Notes are scattered throughout the text that provide insight, direct quotes, and even sourced page numbers for reference. In the early chapters we are told that Harry’s skills at reading facial expressions are an absolute necessity in the world of spying, and his interactions with the looming shadow that is the Ministry of Magic paint a pretty clear picture of how interactions between agencies in the wizarding world accurately reflect our own. The real star of the show is Professor Snape, however. Fans of the series are well aware that our grumpy Master of Potions turned out to be one of the greatest Double Agents in the genre. Without getting into the hows and whys, I can say that Boughey and Earnest’s explanations are certainly worth considering the next time you reread… Or re-reread, or re-re-reread the series. Seriously, I can’t tell you why. That’s classified information. (Get it? Classified? That’s a CIA joke.)

The Art of Spying explores more than just the characters, too. What really makes this worth reading is the detail into the actual world of Harry Potter. The Aurors, the Dementors, the Ministry itself, etc. all have a role to play. Each agency has its own rich history, and it is certainly refreshing to see a companion book that delves deeper into the witching well. Another interesting aspect to consider is that the authors are well aware that J.K. Rowling probably didn’t intend for Harry and the gang to become spies. There is a sort of mentality that “If you search hard enough, you can find anything” prevalent from start to finish and the honesty is quite welcome. Included in the pages are expansive glossaries, annotations, and appendixes that are worth looking to for further information. The text itself is very easy to read and it is written in a clear, concise manner.

ALL SPIES MUST HAVE GOOD HAIR. THIS IS THE LAW.

But let’s get to the nitty gritty, shall we? The Art of Spying Harry Potter would probably do pretty well in the CIA. The Boy Who Lived has been trying to blend with his surroundings since he first showed up in The Sorcerer’s Stone (Or Philosopher’s Stone, as it is known in the lovely United Kingdom.) He is a wizard in a Muggle world; he simply does not belong. Naturally there were instances where Harry had used magic before his enrollment in Hogwarts, such as his mishap with the Reptile House. Harry, unwittingly, learns he can communicate with snakes and helps a boa constrictor escape captivity.

Later on we see Harry blowing his cover again. This time, however, he is aware that using magic in the outside world is a big deal. It is hard to forget Aunt Marge’s Big Mistake from Prisoner of Azkaban. Here we see Uncle Vernon’s sister verbally abuse Harry, but she later learns that it may not have been a good idea to insult the boy’s dead parents. Long story short, Harry turns her into a giant balloon. While just about every single person would applaud such an act, the Ministry of Magic certainly did not find it funny. Using their shadowy influence across the realms, the Ministry reprimanded Harry and “dealt with” the matter at hand. Harry’s lesson? Don’t blow your cover.

Then there is the infamous trial scene from Order of the Phoenix. The judges are not exactly on board with Dumbledore sticking up for Harry, but the wizened old Headmaster instructs Harry that knowing your enemy and knowing who is ignorant are two very, very important keys to getting out of trouble. Harry must weigh the consequences of every word and every action. He must be subtle and observe the body movements of each inquisitor. By now, Harry has become rather adept at reading people. Perhaps he may not be a guard in Guantanamo Bay, but he is certainly an agent who can work in the shadows.

While The Art of Spying is not an approved or sponsored entity, it definitely belongs on the shelf of any Harry Potter fan. Those who are not acquainted with the series will have trouble investing time into Boughey and Earnest’s work, however. In short, if you’re interested in the world of Hogwarts and an in depth analysis of the Ministry of Magic, this is absolutely worth reading. It is a large book, ending at 576 pages, with an additional 42 pages of glossary, but it is very easy to read. Harry Potter and the Art of Spying can be purchased from Itasca Books and it is available on Amazon.

Score: [REDACTED]

This was written using an advanced review copy of the book.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Bernie is a young man just finished with school and starting out in the business of universe creation. Life hasn’t been plain sailing up until now, though. He’s the only child of a single working mother, his father having walked out on them after achieving fame for his universes. Despite being absent, his father’s shadow is quite large; he’s the only god to have ever won three awards for universes that he’s created. As if all this weren’t enough, Bernie is one of those gods cursed with a powerful Cloud – a chaotic force, much like a poltergeist, that vents his subconscious frustrations out on the world. Despite all these odds against him, working for The Business may just be the opportunity he needs to prove himself to his father and give his mother the life she deserves.

Events don’t go as planned, however, and working soon turns out to be plagued by the same sort of problems that occurred at school. It turns out that his first commercially constructed universe is not only plagued by problems with his technique, but that an old school rival is actively sabotaging his efforts. Due to his rival’s seniority and his own problems with authority figures, Bernie is forced to try and undo the damage on his own. So begins a guerilla war between gods to destroy or save a just-created planet. The stakes get upped when Bernie discovers the unthinkable: intelligent life has flourished on his world, without him creating any or even setting events in motion for life to flourish by itself. He’s no longer just fighting to save his family’s future, but also the lives of thousands of thinking, breathing bronze-age beings.

LeBel’s style is fluid and sleek, making it easy to devour this page-turner. Bernie is a likeable underdog protagonist and manages to attract a cast of outsiders and free-thinkers to his cause that are each as well-developed as he is. Lenny is an old school friend who has a fascination with the technology and superstitions of the civilizations the gods create, and is always seen carrying a primitive charm or piece of advanced technology to give him an edge. Then there’s Alcandor, one of the people on Bernie’s world who correctly works out that there’s a powerful being trying to protect them. He manages to contact Bernie, and together they make plans to save Alcandor’s world.

Another of Bernie’s allies is an old school friend, Suzie. She is the personal assistant to the head of human resources, and uses her charm to get Bernie as many second chances as he needs to succeed. She has a passion for worlds that challenge the inherent patriarchy in the Gods’ societies. Unfortunately, Suzie and the other female characters in the novel feel as though they exist solely as motivations for the protagonist or to further romantic subplots. Despite that, they’re still given defining traits and stay within character.

No mention of characters would be complete without talking about Billy, Bernie’s rival. He’s a cruel god who takes pleasure in inspiring his creations to war with each other, treating their lives and worlds as games for his own amusement. Bernie’s cloud left a scar on his face when they fought during school, something he’s never forgiven Bernie for. His uncle is Bernie’s departmental head, a fact that’s earned him many cronies. Even with all his friends at his side, Bernie has his work cut out.

The action is exciting and fast-paced. The narrative alternates between Bernie and the other gods, and the lives of the people on his besieged world. This helps establish a context to the consequences of Billy and Bernie’s actions. It makes for fascinating reading, and succeeds in making you wonder whether or not we have our own Bernie. If you’ve ever played any simulation or strategy games, it also makes you hanker to get back into one of those while simultaneously making you question whether or not all the soldiers you send to their doom had families and lives outside of your dictates.

The plot experiences minor repetition towards the third quarter of the book. By then we’ve seen Billy create problems, and Bernie fix them several times. There are enough new developments along the way to keep the story fresh, but this point in the plot is a no-man’s land between old and new developments, where we see much of the same thing happening.

Even with the above, this is a read that’s sure to please and guaranteed not to disappoint. If you’re looking for a great new indie book to sink your teeth into, it’ll be this one.

You can buy The Universe Builders on Amazon, or follow further details about the universe at Steve’s website.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

The cover and title says it all.

The Ice Cap and the Rift is the second novel in Marshall Chamberlain’s the Ancestor Series of Adventure Thrillers. John Henry Morgan, director of the United Nations’ Institute for the Study of Unusual Phenomenon (ISUP), is still reeling from the events in the first novel (The Mountain Place of Knowledge) when a combo-quake of unprecedented size occurs without any prior warning. The situation escalates when a team in Iceland detects the presence of strange, hidden structures within the newly formed rift that pre-date the birth of human civilisation. Morgan has encountered evidence of advanced, ancient technology before, and recognises these structures as having been built by mysterious beings they’ve named the Ancestors. He has to secure a UN presence at the rift, and balance conflicting international interests as different nations scramble to secure the technology within the rift for themselves.

Hounding Morgan at every step is Dick Murray, director of the CIA. Murray only cares about results and the protection of his country, a man desperate for success after being outmanoeuvred by the Chinese the last time they discovered Ancestor technology. Morgan needs his help, but every bit of assistance Murray offers is a double-edged sword. Thankfully, Morgan isn’t alone. Doctor Mary Ellen, his colleague, friend and partner, was also witness to the capabilities of Ancestor technology before, and uses her extensive scientific knowledge and force of personality to help ISUP succeed against the odds. Operating from within the shadows is Ling Soo, the Chinese Minister of Intelligence, a dangerous and canny opponent. Using deception and the co-operation of international allies, he proves an adept opponent equally capable in both the political and military fields.

The dual UN-Cambridge team investigates the rift in the ice cap while trying to prevent too much information from leaking out to the various international factions eager for a piece of the pie. What they find is a fully operational habitat, with several flying vehicles that are still in top condition. The flying vehicles are saucer-shaped crafts, and raise questions about humanity’s origins, and whether our history is as complete or short as we’d been led to believe. Before the full implications of the discovery can be worked through, the Chinese manage to secure the information about the rift’s contents and execute a daring plan to steal one of the flying saucers. It’s up to Murray and Morgan to set aside their differences in order to track and recover the stolen craft.

The Ice Cap and the Rift reads like a story-driven political thriller with a sci-fi twist. In style it’s reminiscent of Tom Clancy in that Marshall explains the workings of his world in great detail. His research into a variety of topics lends this text believability and weight. You get a very real sense that he knows what he’s talking about regarding the way the various organisations and modern technology works. The unfortunate trade-off, however, is that the narrative flow gets interrupted by lengthy exposition.

The blending of the science fiction into the real-world setting is handled very well, with a careful reverence that’s not often experienced in novels. The mystical and spiritual nature of the Ancestors is well defined because of this, lending a strange metaphysical feeling to everything centred on their works. From the get-go he manages to arouse intrigue as to what we have in the rift, and who its mysterious architects were.

The man himself

Unfortunately, this reverence seems to disappear when the aura of mystery vanishes. The UN team has no great difficulty in getting into the newly revealed habitat, and spend more time sweeping the area for CIA bugs. Once inside, the descriptions of the habitat’s controls give it a strangely ‘Fisher-Price’ feel. Scientists don’t spend much time puzzling through symbols or controls, and in fact have no hassle deciphering how everything works. The fact that much modern human technology within the novel’s setting seems on par with that of the Ancestors – virtual environments, advanced invisibility cloaking technology, satellite mounted lasers – makes the discovery in the rift feel a little underwhelming. There are even two chapters within the novel where we are treated to modern, living Ancestors as the viewpoint characters in order to understand their motives. Had the sense of mystery been preserved, then we’d be able to maintain the sense of wonder the Ancestors are supposed to engender.

One of the other stumbling blocks for the novel is the sheer volume of characters. Aside from Morgan, Murray, Ellen and Soo, the cast of characters is extensive. With so many individuals, running the gamut from pilots, secret agents, terrorists and academics, characterisation is kept brief of a necessity, with most characters getting a short introduction and a single defining characteristic. In the worst examples the supporting characters are ethnic or occupational stereotypes. This makes many of them feel more like caricatures than actual flesh-and-blood individuals. Fewer characters performing many of the same roles, or more face-time for some characters, would really strengthen the impact they make.

Chamberlain’s descriptions are stronger than his characters, but inconsistent. At times he paints a scene vividly using multiple senses; I’m still stuck remembering the nutty smell of a cup of coffee Morgan has towards the final chapters. At other times, it feels like Chamberlain is watching a movie and describing it to us, his readers, with a certain level of dispassion. This creates a distance, something dangerous in a novel that requires reader investment in order to get swept up in the action. The worry is that the weak descriptions far outweigh the good ones. Despite that, the tension of the final chapters prompted further reading, the reader trying to work out the intricacies of the Chinese plot alongside the protagonists.

There’s much to recommend in The Ice Cap and the Rift. Chamberlain lends his world both a sense of credibility and mysticism. However, the presence of many weak characters hampers our involvement. Sacrificing descriptions for exposition in order to preserve the fast pace of his novel created further distance between readers and the action. If you’re looking for a light adventure novel with global conflict and alien artefacts, then this might just be the book for you.

With a release date of 15th October 2014, you can pre-order the ebook on multiple platforms, or start with the first book in the series.

This book was reviewed using a copy provided by the publishers for that purpose

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

A unique twist on a classic tale – Christ uses the Holy Grail to curse the Apostles with Vampirism

The novel starts strong, the prologue putting a unique twist on Christ’s words to his Apostles on the night of the last supper. It leaves us hungry for more, and open to a fresh interpretation of the vampire mythos. From Bram Stoker’s conception of the undead, to Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer’s more recent renditions, vampires and their powers and weaknesses are as varied as their origin stories. In Batiste’s novel, vampires are ageless, heal fast, and the only sure things that kill them are fire, losing a head or getting stabbed through the heart. The characters are quick to point out that they don’t sparkle in the sunlight, though when they ‘shift’ into vampiric form they have their fangs elongate and their eyes turn violet. The narrative implies that every time a vampire feeds, the human in question dies, a choice rife with moral ambiguity for an audience used to vampires that can choose whether to kill or not.

Another interesting ability the vampires in this world have is the ability to have normal off-spring by having regular sex with mortal men and women. Kellan is the offspring of one such union, and his task is to do the same with Nicole. The chapters alternate between these two primary viewpoint characters, with the occasional chapter devoted to secondary characters like pursuing demons. Kellan is a movie-star lookalike living the high life with the accumulated wealth of centuries. His love and loyalty for the Apostles is well established, but the turning point is clear when his love for Nicole overrides his better judgement. Of the two, Nicole is the stronger character and just feels more real. Her actions and motivations are the clearest from the get-go, and her story is the most compelling of the two. You find yourself rooting for her and wanting to know that she’ll come out on top. Indeed, the supporting characters of her story arc often feel more rounded and better developed than many of the established characters that make recurring appearances in Kellan’s narrative.

Ultimately, the difference in the strength of the characters in the two narratives seems to rest on the vampiric nature of all the characters in Kellan’s story arc. Batiste does some brilliantly subtle characterisation in some places – Simon doesn’t like blasphemy, demons refer to vampires as mosquitoes – but then undermines it later. The Apostles are indistinguishable from a group of golf buddies or business colleagues, apart from the mention of blood drinking. Kellan is Simon’s son, and their interaction is just like that of two family members. Kellan has a habit of getting his way and is never disciplined, despite going against the will of a fraternity of beings a millennium older than he is. The fact that a human dies every time they feed is barely examined and quickly handled with a justification that vampires only feed on evil people now. There are so many opportunities to deepen the setting or examine the implications of decisions, but these are glossed over and moved aside so that the romance and the action can proceed.

To Batiste’s credit, the romance and action are the novel’s strengths. The interaction between Kellan and Nicole is electric, and the nerves on their first dates complement their later passion. The action sequences are equally well crafted, with the writing fast-paced and exciting. The writing style is fluid and engaging, and the pace never flags or gets bogged down. Despite that, The Vitandi suffers from being two separate genres in one – a paranormal romance, and a supernatural thriller. While both the romance and thriller are handled very well separately, jumping between the two styles compromises the text as a whole. Maintaining some mystery could have saved for the insertion of exposition in otherwise tense scenes, whereas foreshadowing could have stopped some other reveals from feeling too deus ex machina. The romantic confessions and revealed motives feel melodramatic and contrived when set against demons and vampires battling.

All in all, The Vitandi is easy to read, and neither the romance nor the action disappoint. The concepts at the core of this novel are intriguing and exciting, but many are poorly handled. Though the writing is good overall, the occasional block of exposition or lack of foreshadowing let it down. Batiste shows promise, but better characterisation of the vampires and a deeper examination of the vampiric condition would have made for a more immersive novel.

Should you be intrigued by Batiste’s original ideas and want a different spin on your paranormal romance, you can purchase The Vitandi on Kindle or Nook.

This book was reviewed using a copy provided by the publisher for that purpose.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

The Hagia Sophia, one of the more important locales in the story.

For those not familiar with the  Ottoman siege, Constantinopolis is a useful companion. It portrays events in an historically accurate way, and Shipman delivers authenticity by stressing the importance of faith and family to the societies in play. On one side of the fence, the establishment is embodied in Constantine XI, Emperor of Constantinople. The city has seen far better days, yet the people seem to love Constantine and see him as a capable ruler. Constantine must also balance his duties against his love life with Zophia, an entirely fictional romantic foil. Opposing Constantine is the disruptive Mehmet II, a brash, young sultan with a lot to prove. While Constantine’s story arc is primarily one of being honorable to his fellow Greeks, Mehmet’s storyline is thematically composed of his desires for glory and vengeance against those who doubt his capabilities.

The chapters themselves are woven seamlessly in their transitions. Each chapter focuses on the point of view of either Constantine or Mehmet, with a few occasional chapters devoted to the Hungarian rulers who would play an important part in the siege’s conclusion. Unfortunately, each chapter becomes more and more repetitive. For example, Mehmet leads a failed Ottoman charge in one chapter, followed by another where Constantine discusses the enemy’s failure from the previous chapter. This will then get broken up by Constantine trying to organize his love life with Zophia. While the point-of-view  format is a great way to spin the narrative and make the characters more believable, the writing does not always work. The dialogue between secondary characters is as interesting as porridge and the reader will likely see the phrase “As you know” countless times.

Not all the writing is poor, however. The characterization of Constantine is historically accurate and Shipman does a fine job representing him as a young ruler with too much on his plate. The emperor’s mind constantly wanders between his vastly different personal desires and professional duties, and this thinking stands in contrast with Mehmet, the Muslim Sultan who sees his personal desires as his professional duties. However, Constantine’s chapters eventually become quite uninteresting, again due to repetition. Constantine tries to gain the affections of Zophia, a beautiful woman who returns his love with loyalty. Their relationship is important, and when things get rocky between them, Constantine makes poor decisions. While the romance is forced and seemingly arbitrarily thrown into the mix, it does help to advance the plot. In the long run, Constantine is simply a likable enough protagonist without this extra angle.

Countering the good guy Constantine trope is the villainous Muslim, Mehmet. While many writers would paint him as a mustache-twirling caricature, Shipman gives the reader ample understanding of the sultan’s motives for wanting to capture Constantinople. Living in the shadow of his father and his Grand Vizier Halil, Mehmet acknowledges that he was not always a wise ruler and wishes to make up for his previous failures by adding Constantinople to his empire. His advisers trust the counsel of Halil, who goes against Mehmet’s interests at every turn and often makes a fool out of the young wolf. Readers will find themselves rooting for Mehmet many times, which paints both warring leaders in shades of grey. While Mehmet’s methods may seem cruel, his faith and his desire for personal growth add humanity to an historically complex character.

Of course, this is a story about war and action scenes are bound to pop up, which are as entertaining as they need to be for those unfamiliar with the historical outcome. Shipman’s description of the battles is vivid, and interestingly enough only seen from the viewpoint of specific characters. Staying true to history, it is unlikely that Mehmet and Constantine would have ever met face-to-face, swords drawn, in the middle of a field while bodies flew every which way around them. Shipman handles the battle scenes with care, and yet everything else is described in much fewer words. A palace is simply described as that – a palace. A wall is simply a wall. Shipman wastes no time in painting the world, which is both good and bad. On one hand, it is a relief not to sift through seven pages just to read the description of a tree. On the other, it would help to have more detail in certain aspects of the novel.

Overall, Constantinopolis is a short read with many great moments. Sadly, there are less than stellar moments that truly weigh down the novel. While it is historically accurate, the modernist dialogue and forced romantic subplot dragged much of the excitement. There is an epilogue at the end which explains what happened to each character after the battle as well, and while it is short, it should be interesting to those who are not as brushed up on their history. If you are inclined to learn more about the great siege of Constantinople, you can purchase the book from Amazon here.

This book was reviewed using a copy provided by the publisher for that purpose.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

O’Leary’s Luck, written by Teel James Glenn, falls somewhere between short story and novella. For this kind of story brevity works fantastically. You want something easy, fast, exciting, and a little grimy. The first pages of the story give the sense that the author will deliver on these points. You have a New Orleans race-yard junkie loser in the wrong place at the wrong time gunned down for overhearing something sinister. There to witness this, of course, is our protagonist: Jon Shadows. Shadows makes his living as a body guard and has become world-worn in the process. In this case, Shadows has dropped by the town to enjoy Mardi Gras accompanied with a beautiful performer he met previously named Flora. She turns out to be tangled up in the drama they witnessed and Jon’s vacation quickly tuns into a job. A murder, a mystery, a manly protagonist with a silly name, and a damsel in distress – this is getting good.

Some well executed characterization can be found in O’Leary’s Luck. You get a sense of O’Leary’s life and motivations which makes him a pretty sympathetic character when he’s killed in the first few pages of the story. The violence feels less random and pointless, and makes you root for Shadows to get to the bottom of the whole ordeal. A little background on Shadows himself makes him somewhat more interesting than the typical protagonist in these kinds of books. You learn a bit about his looks, his family, and how he feels about himself, which influences how you feel about him. Little moments like these are wonderful and essential for an indie book to become something that sticks out from the crowd.

Unfortunately, things start looking down a bit from here. The amateurish writing starts to become painfully apparent as the story progresses. The author, Teel James Glenn, has a tendency to not only break some basic rules of grammar – like getting it’s and its confused a handful of times – but to repeat the same word in a sentence or paragraph until you almost feel like you’re getting slapped in the face by it. Take, for example, this line from the story: “I wasn’t sure if I should try to make myself invisible or just flat out run for my life but that’s never how I’ve run my life; I generally run toward the sound of gunfire.” The run-on sentence combined with the repetition of the word “run” is enough to give the reader whiplash. If these issues only popped up in the story occasionally looking over it would be easy. But this line reads the way most of the book does. Not horrible, but strange enough to be a off-putting and to slow or stop the flow of reading.

The tone of the book is also somewhat of a mess. Everything feels a little too PG for a hard boiled pulp. Throughout the fifty three page story Shadows says “heck” instead of “hell,” talks about feeling like a kid at Disney World, and tells his date, Flora, about how he was a full grown man before he could grow peach fuzz on his lip. He also spends some socially awkward time with Flora’s mother. Nothing is inherently wrong with these things, but it certainly does not work well in a genre associated with violence and exploitation. Characters from the book talk like the forties or fifties even though the story takes place in modern times, which adds to the weirdness. No one calls anyone a “songstress” or uses the phrase “dandy of bygone days” anymore.

The Coup de grâce for O’Leary’s Luck occurs when enjoyable campiness evolves into bizarre cheesiness. For example, Shadows describes a fight in the book as “impromptu breakdancing,”. I had to set down my e-reader when Jon Shadows – the books supposed lead badass – says, “Some things are better the old way and some the new. At least that’s what my mom would say as she made me do traditional Ninja workouts when I wanted to play baseball.” I was dumbfounded when I first read it, and I remain so now. That line, and a few like it throughout the book, left me with the impression of Jon Shadows as a Napoleon Dynamite type character.

O’Leary’s Luck is disappointing not because it stinks, but because it falls just short of being a marvelously enjoyable pulp story and instead succumbs to the common pitfalls of indie books. With some stringent editing and a little rethinking of a few story elements I would not hesitate to recommend the purchase to fans of the genre. As it exists now, though, O’Leary’s Luck stands just a little above average in the giant heap of self-published books.

O’Leary’s Luck is available for both NOOK and Kindle for $2.99, as well as in paperback from Amazon for $6.99.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

While the inspiration for the Pied Piper – though debated – typically ranges from dark to sinister, the general plot of the story is the same. The town of Hamelin is suffering from a terrible rat problem, so the mayor hires a mysterious stranger to lead the rats away with his music. Upon completing the task, the piper fails to receive the promised amount of payment. In retaliation, the piper leads all of the children away. Depending on the version of the story, the piper either eventually receives his payment and returns the children, or the little ones meet a grisly or mysterious end.

Waters’ version takes a different look at the story. Rather than simply being a lesson about paying those who are due, the author digs into the motivations behind a few of the key characters. Part of the story focuses on the rats’ perspective, showing them to mean no intentional harm and failing to understand why the humans can’t coexist with them. The motivations of the Pied Piper himself are also made clearer. His anger is not so much about the fact that he didn’t receive the expected payment. It’s about how abhorred he is with the way the people of the town treat others. Once the rats are gone, the adults of the town quickly turn their pettiness and anger on their own children. As a parable, the story becomes a lesson about the proper way to treat everyone else in the world, regardless of species, age, or social status.

Children’s stories are a fantastic tool for teaching kids the valuable lessons of life, and Paying Piper is no exception. Being a childless adult I’m certainly not the core audience here, but Ilana Waters‘ take on a folklore classic appears to be a solid short story for parents to share with their kids. There are even some discussion questions at the end to emphasize to children some of the lessons they should take away. Even for some of us adults, it’s a fine reminder that if we don’t do what’s right, we’ll someday have to pay the piper.

Paying Piper is currently available for FREE on Smashwords, Kobo, and directly from Ilana Waters’ website. You can also check it out on Amazon, Amazon UK, and Barnes & Noble.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

When imagining traveling through time, it’s not just about ending up in a different era, it’s often about experiencing a different place and way of life. Untimed takes the reader from modern day Philadelphia to early 18th-century London, 19th-century France, and 20th-century China. The bulk of the story takes place in that London setting and presents the city from the view of young street thieves. Although the characters Charlie meets veer a bit on the outlandish side, the setting itself is vividly painted as dirty and seedy. War-torn Europe in the early 1800′s is brought to life through Gavin’s depiction of the anticipation of battle and the carnage inflicted upon its participants. Without giving too much away, our hero even gets a look at a skewed version of the present when a few historical choices go awry. Gavin certainly paints a picture of the past that makes the reader share Charlie’s desire to get back home.

As a science fiction fan, one of the best parts about time travel is seeing how each storyteller presents his or her incarnation. In other words, finding out what the rules are and what the consequences are of bending or breaking those rules. Untimed immediately draws readers in with how the protagonist details his bizarre non-existence in the eyes of everyone around him. Going unnoticed is something a lot of teenagers can probably identify with, but it goes a step further in that not even his own mother can remember his name. In fact, everyone who possesses the time travel ability experiences this with the “normals”, and the characters often either suffer because of it or use it to their advantage. Another unique twist is that males can only travel backward in time and females forward, though a pair can travel together in the direction of choice. This presents some interesting dilemmas for the characters in terms of how they’re going to travel in the direction they want or need to be going. Charlie is determined not to lose his time-traveling love interest Yvaine by jumping without her. A necessary “cooldown” period between jumps infuses plenty of tension in the more dramatic, frenzied moments of the story. Untimed deals with the consequences of characters running into other versions of themselves, and it also covers cause-effect relationships in terms of the historical timeline. While some of these concepts draw from Untimed‘s sci-fi predecessors, there’s definitely enough of a unique spin to keep this story feeling new.

Author Gavin doesn’t ignore that sci-fi history. Untimed does pay homage to time traveling adventures that have become iconic in the entertainment industry. The story includes numerous references, both direct and indirect, to pop culture series like Back to the Future and Sliders. I also got a strong Dr. Who feel thanks to the existence of seasoned time travelers and the steampunk, robotic villains that repeatedly show up to thwart them. I think Time Lord fans will enjoy Untimed, though Charlie plays more the role of the companion rather than possessing the charm and wisdom of the good Doctor.

Because the story is surprisingly adult in its content for a young adult novel, I think it broadens the range of readers the story will appeal to. The recent success of the Twilight and Hunger Games series have proven that the true audience for a young adult adventure can extend much wider than perhaps it was originally intended. While I did grow tired of Charlie’s lusting after Yvaine in the midst of the far more important time traveling and near-death experiences, it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t capture some of the essence of a 16-year-old boy’s mind.

Untimed is a quick read with action consistently moving the story forward, and the separation of scenes within each chapter keeps the story from ever getting bogged down. While our hero is regrettably the least interesting character in the story, he serves his purpose as the vehicle for the events that play out and the other characters involved. Untimed is a fun read for all of the young science fiction fans out there, and may even appeal to older readers. As the start of a new series, it’ll be interesting to see how young Charlie grows and the fantastical people and places he’ll encounter in his future (and past) travels.

A sample of Untimed can be found on Andy Gavin’s official website, and the complete book can be purchased through any of the links below:

Amazon E-Book ASIN: B006PIMYLY
Amazon Paperback ASIN: 1937945014
Amazon Hardcover ASIN: 1937945006
Barnes & Noble: 1108093415  (on hold for Kindle Select)
Google: 7o8wLIfFUcwC  (on hold for Kindle Select)
Apple iBooks: 494719226 (on hold for Kindle Select)
CreateSpace: 3751712

© 2012 – 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Late last year I had the chance to review John Trevillian’s novel The A-Men, a story about a group of lost individuals banding together in a future Earth.  If you read that review, you’ll remember that although I enjoyed the book, I had a few gripes with the disjointed story and confusing plot.  The A-Men Return, the second title in Trevillian’s planned trilogy, continues the story of the main character Jack and his surviving compatriots.  Where the first chapter in the A-Men’s story had its missteps, the sequel is an improvement on the first book in just about every way.  In fact, the only gripes I really had were the inconsistent portrayal of the female characters and the disappointingly cliched villain.  Although these issues play out at the climax of the story, they hardly detract from what is overall an enjoyable read for fans of post-apocalyptic or dystopian society stories.

The A-Men Return takes place roughly four years after the events of the first novel and follows the individual characters that have long since gone their separate ways.  Dead City, the main setting of the series, has established a kind of order out of the chaos as a number of rival gangs have found their footing amongst the savagery at large.  The surviving members of the original A-Men who are the focus this time around – Jack, Sister Midnight, Pure, Dingo, and D’Allesandro – have all led very different lives, but ones that are still true to their characters.  The second book follows the format of the first by having each chapter dedicated to one of five characters and rotating between them. The language for the characters’ outer voices and inner dialogue is written much more closely to their personalities which adds a nice wrinkle to the reading experience.  It’s fairly easy to open to a page, read a line or two, and instantly know whose chapter it is.  It’s also a nice change of pace when switching from one style to the next.

The A-Men Return continues the series’ tradition of bringing together characters from all walks of life.  It’s been a rough four years for Jack and in some ways he’s become less than human.  His vulgar, blase mindset comes out in just about everything he does and says.  At the same time it’s his yearning for an escape from the world that inspires and brings together the rest of the group.  Sister Midnight’s calm, focused presence is often played against Pure’s bitter, drug-addled fits.  Dingo the Wonder Dog has replaced his former friend 23rdxenturyboy(from the first book) as my favorite character in the series.  The experimental dog-man has a childlike innocence and exuberance that is refreshing among the grizzled cast and is far removed from a character like D’Allesandro and his scheming ways.  Because of the wide range of personalities involved, none of the characters felt like throwaways.

Characters are brought together much more quickly than in the first book leading to a more cohesive story that doesn’t run the risk of losing the reader through a multitude of plot threads.  The plot device of the A-Men’s internal communicators helps further that connection by allowing them to be in contact with each other even from great distances — all while D’Allesandro’s guiding hand bends them to his designs.  It is fascinating to see how the characters interpret the voices inside their heads and rationalize it according to their beliefs in the world around them.  This device was easily one of the best improvements between the first novel and this one.

Although the plot consistently moves forward, the bulk of the story takes place within a few set pieces.  Most of the really great sequences involve Jack, which should come as no surprise since his chapters are once again considerably longer than any of the other characters.   Jack running the gauntlet of the circus death maze feels like a B horror movie in the best of ways.  After being captured, his battle of wits against the AI that imprisons him calls back to popular fiction like 2001.  Jack’s adventures into the X-Isle, the simulated world that is a large focus of the series, are full of fantastic imagery and tense action as he must survive the ire of virtual gods.  The fact that this book is a sequel allows Trevillian to spend much more time driving the actual events of the book forward rather than setting up the backstories of the characters and the world.   The effect is a more exciting, pulpy experience.

I’ll admit I had some concerns about The A-Men Return after I read the first couple of chapters.  Jack’s crudeness was a bit of a turn-off.  All five characters starting off in separate locales had me worried that I’d have the same complaints as with the last book.  Those fears were soon allayed as the old crew started coming together and the action began unfolding.  I was hooked, and it was not so much on the culmination of the story as seeing how the characters dealt with each new adversity thrown at them.  Naturally, I’d recommend reading the first book before reading this one, as it is best to have some backstory on the A-Men and how they parted ways, but you could get by without doing so.  The finale of the second book sets Jack’s world up for the third entry of the series coming out in March of this year.  I can’t wait to see how Jack deals with both his successes and his devastating failures.

© 2012 – 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

With the Republican nomination looming, there’s no avoiding the polarizing controversies surrounding abortion, homosexuality, evolution and environmentalism. Liberals and conservatives are more divided on these issues today than at any other time in history.

In Broken Words: The Abuse of Science and Faith in American Politics, Jonathan Dudley objectively examines these four ideas, which in the past few generations have become the “big four” tenets of evangelical Christianity.

Dudley grew up as an evangelical Christian and was raised to believe “abortion is murder; homosexuality, sin; evolution, nonsense; and environmentalism, a farce.” However, his higher education in the sciences (he’s currently a med student at Johns Hopkins) and intellectual curiosity prompted him to reevaluate these issues with a unique perspective. The result? He navigates the intersection between faith and science with surprising grace. He addresses these hot button topics clearly, succinctly, systematically, and with numerous citations like … well, like a scientist.

If you’ve ever longed to debate intelligently about any of these issues, Dudley has done the research for you. While the book is filled with hundreds of biblical quotes, references and citations (that are easily, in this age of the internet, independently verified), the author provides more than just evidence for his positions. He weaves a cultural context by including with each argument detailed explanations of the historical and social interpretation of that evidence.

Underlying all of this research is is the discovery that evangelicals who stray away from even one  of these ideas, including evangelicals with clout and political influence, have their faith questioned and are threatened with outright dismissal from their communities.

Despite the fact these are deeply personal and highly sensitive issues, Dudley approaches arguments like “does life begin at conception” and “is homosexuality a sin” without volatile rhetoric or inflammatory language. His approach in presenting what could be considered difficult information to digest for some, including close members of his community, is respectful, measured, thoughtful and engaging. The book fosters a desire for intelligent discussion.

While Dudley no longer identifies as an evangelical, he still considers himself a Christian. Ultimately, he encourages a new kind of evangelical Christianity that embraces science and recognizes dynamic theology.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in truly understanding why evangelical Christians believe what they do and how they influence and are influenced by the current political climate. I’d also recommend this text to book groups who are interested in having a lively debate.

This book was provided for review by Jonathan Dudley through Bostick Communications.

© 2012, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.