CLYDE WISHAM
Southern Gods is pretty good fantasy-horror.
The story follows the fortunes of humans unwittingly caught up in a conflict between gods both good and evil as they battle in post WW2 Southern USA. Things get bloody.
This is a historical novel based on the life of Belle Boyd who was a spy for the Confederates during the Civil War. Hamit takes the bare bones of what is known about Belle and weaves a fascinating story with plenty of tension and danger.
A quick read (short novel or novella length), but very good indeed. You don't have to know the other books in the Avalon series to enjoy this story.
Children are in danger, but there are heroes, some unlikely.
I quite enjoyed this book. It is hard to categorize – it is SF for sure, but it is also a techno-thriller/mystery.
Erosion uncovered a structure in the Southwestern desert area of the US. It turns out to be an alien artifact, a gateway, first to the Moon and then to the Stars. The bulk of the book tells the adventures of the people who headed the investigation of the artifact. However, there is a geopolitical undercurrent to the story which comes out strongly in the climax.
Roberts says he wrote the base story some 30 years ago but was never able to get it published. The recent changes in the book business gave him the choice of bypassing the traditional publishing gatekeepers and self-publishing. He updated the story and did so. That took some courage, and I am glad he did. While the right professional editing might have improved the story (in terms of dialog and pacing), it reads quite well as it is.
Mr. Roberts, may we have a sequel?
This eBook contains all four of the original .357 Vigilante novels that Goldberg originally published in 1985 under the pseudonym Ian Ludlow. Good value!
The stories feature lots of blood-soaked violence served up at a fairly rapid pace. Think Death Wish merged with Dirty Harry and with a generous dollop of gratuitous sex tossed in for spice. What's not to like?
I read this book long ago when I was a high school student. I still have fond memories of it.
The Steel Cocoon is a wartime adventure story. It draws heavily on Plagemann's experiences in the US Navy during World War 2.
I read this book long ago when I was about 19 or 20. It is a very powerful story that has stayed with me over the years.
Set in the 1930's, Dunbar's Cove is the story of David Dunbar and his family and also of TVA man Crawford Gates. Dunbar is a farmer with a strong attachment to his land. The TVA starts building a dam which will flood his “cove” (a small fertile valley). The TVA's point man is Crawford Gates, and it is his job to get everyone to move from the designated flood area. Dunbar refuses to move, and when threatened with confiscation of his property, though a gentle man and though he has formed a reluctant friendship with Gates, he resorts to threats and guns to defy the government. Of course one man cannot stand against the government for ever, and Gates eventually finds an acceptable resolution the the dilemma. The course to that resolution forms a warmly moving story.
Up Country is a very powerful story, written from the heart. It is perhaps Nelson DeMille's best book.
I quite enjoyed this book. You will too if you like the sea stories of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester.
In this sequel to Parker's Appaloosa Hitch rides into Resolution – a town in a bit of turmoil. Hitch takes a job with one of the local strongmen, and Cole later joins him. Soon more gunslingers show up, some honorable and some not, and things get tense. Toss in a Shoshone war party and some nefarious dealing and – you guessed it – the bullets start flying. Cole and Hitch have to choose a side.
I am really enjoying Parker's Cole & Hitch stories. There are four of them in total; too bad there won't be any more.
The Macedonian continues the story of Captain Favian Markham, USN, that began in Walter Jon Williams' Brig of War. Things pick up pretty much were they left off in the previous book. The war of 1812 continues. While awaiting his next command, Markham becomes involved in chasing down a spy ring that has been signaling the British blockade fleet. Then when a fortuitous storm gives an opportunity to break the blockade, Markham basically steals the frigate Macedonian and heads out to do battle with the British in the Atlantic. (Well, actually, he takes command of the Macedonian under somewhat shaky orders from a senior captain—there being no time to communicate with Navy headquarters.) From that point there is lots of action involving deep water sailing and naval combat. Walter Jon Williams obviously did a lot of research for this book and it shows in his very vivid descriptions of what it was like on an American naval vessel in the early 1800's.
This is a very good book. Recommended for fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester.
Crawling Between Heaven and Earth is a very good collection of speculative fiction short stories by a talented writer.
A heroic and bloody story. Joshua Chamberlain and the men of the 20 Main were a true heroes. They did nothing less than save the Union at Little Round Top.
The Tern Schooner is an action packed story of high seas adventure set during the war of 1812.
The main protagonist is Gideon Markham, an American privateer. He has his hands full. He must command his tall ship in canon duels, capture enemy ships, beat off attacks by Red Stick Creeks, negotiate with pirates, quell a mutiny, help stop a British invasion, and deal with a bewildering romance – all of this while dealing with his on internal demons.
Good book – Walter Jon Williams never fails to deliver a good story.
Angel Of Skye is an interesting mixture of intrigue, action, and romance set in 16th century Scotland. I personally found the romance elements of the story a bit too dominant, though I quite enjoyed the intrigue and the action.
I recommend this book more to those looking for a romance than those looking for a historical novel.
I found Triton to be less engrossing than the first two books in the series. Still good value, though.
James Doohan, after he was finished being Scotty on Star Trek, decided to write some science fiction. He teamed up with S.M. Stirling, and they made good space opera. The Independent Command is the third and final book they wrote together.
Jack the Bodiless is not a bad story overall. However, it suffers from too much filler. Had it been edited down to two-thirds its length (or even less), it would have been a much tighter story and a better read. I tired of it part-way through, but did manage to finish it.
(I doubt that I will read the remainder of Julian May's Galactic Milieu trilogy.)
Citadel is the second novel in John Ringo's Troy Rising series. Humanity still faces relentless foes that intend to exterminate the human race. Under the leadership of Tyler Vernon the race must rise to the challenge. It is still a case of live free or die. This is good space opera.
Don't skip the afterward. In his writing, Ringo goes against current literary trends somewhat by creating characters that are competent, honorable, and courageous. Many of those are women. In an afterward to the book, Ringo explains exactly why he frequently creates strong women characters and he introduces the real-life models that have inspired those characters.
Cat Island is the final book in Walter Jon Williams' Privateers & Gentlemen series. It is actually the culmination of two story lines. One story line follows the career of Captain Favian Markham, USN. His story began in Brig of War and continued in The Macedonian. The other story is told in The Tern Schooner. It follows the adventures Gideon Markham, an American privateer who is also Favian's cousin. Those stories merge in Cat Island as Favian and Gideon team up to try and stop an imminent British attack on New Orleans.
Those who like action packed stories of high seas adventure, will probably like Cat Island. However, you should read the other books in the series first. They are all good reads.
