Required Reading

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Books I have authored.

Many times I receive books for FREE to give them an honest review. I do not get paid to give a good or bad review. Spotlights are promotional and should be regarded as advertising for the book spotlighted. Regardless of where or how I got a book, my review will be as honest as I can make it.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Green Man or Charlie No-Face




There is an urban legend in Western Pennsylvania about a mysterious figure walking the back roads
in the dark of night.  The mysterious figure is supposed to have green skin and no face!

As in many legends there is a grain of truth.   There actually was a man by the name of Raymond Robinson who wandered the dark roads of Beaver County in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

From Wikipedia: Robinson was eight years old when he was injured by an electrical line on the Morado Bridge, outside of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania while attempting to view a bird's nest. The bridge carried a trolley, and had electrical lines of both 1,200 volts and 22,000 volts which had killed another boy less than a year earlier. Robinson was not expected to survive; he lived, but he was badly scarred and lost his eyes and nose, one ear, and one arm.

Having grown up in Western Pennsylvania, I had first hand knowledge that Raymond was more than a legend.   My cousins and my sister had given him cigarettes and food more than once.   He was a frightening figure but was truly harmless and just wanted to avoid notoriety.  He lived in Koppel, PA.  

Tisha York, actually filmed his life in 2007.  She was the wife of one of my old childhood neighbors and also a native of my old home town.   A film maker, she documented the life of Raymond.   I corresponded with her to find out when the movie would be available and was told that the movie was in the “can” but due to the economy there was no money for distribution and release.   So perhaps sometime in the future we will be able to see a film featuring many of the Koppel area residents telling the story of Raymond.

I used Raymond as an example of intolerance.   Everyone Raymond met was not accepting of his disfigurement.   Consequently he was leery of any strangers.   In my story, Hardy Belch as the protagonist is frightened and dismayed on his first encounter with Raymond.   Tiny, his telepathic dog, found nothing wrong with Raymond.   The story is a tale of discovery and acceptance of those who may be different from whoever “we” are.   I was fascinated with the tale of the Green Man as a boy and I hope the use of this urban legend will be a good vehicle to demonstrate the dangers of intolerance.  


The urban legend inspired this story but it is not intended as a historic document or an accurate portrayal of Raymond Robinson.  Its intention is to be a story for children demonstrating the need for tolerance.

Released Today on Kindle:  Hardy Belch and The Green Man at $.99

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Reading Humor 4/29/13

 
Reading makes you strong!

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Rogue Defender by John R. Monteith

 

This is the fourth novel in a series of naval action thrillers. Here are links to my previous reviews: Rogue Crusader and then Rogue Avenger and finally Rogue Betrayer. 

This novel again pulls from the headlines of the world.  North Korea is implicated in a scheme to increase the vulnerability of Taiwan.  Jake Slate and Pierre Renard are determined to thwart the scheme.

This is my least favorite book of the series.   Jake seems to vacillate between schizophrenia and normalcy.   The characterizations are fine if you have read the previous books but this would be a difficult book to read as a stand alone.  

The descriptive aspects of the book have changed as well with words like sauntered into a room used instead of simply walking into the room.  It seemed more contrived and thesaurus oriented. 

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book but it doesn’t seem to have the chutzpa of the previous works.

Web Site: http://www.subthriller.com/


This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Reading Humor 4/25/13



This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Killing Floor by Lee Child





I am now trying to read the Jack Reacher series in order.  This is the first book in the series and provides a little more background on Jack than the later books.  Jack gets a very warm welcome on his arrival in Margrave, Georgia.   When Jack leaves the town may need to change it’s name by dropping the Mar.



Jack doesn’t seem as implacable in this book as his later books.  This book does develop the characteristics that you see in the later books.   Jack strives for aloofness but when he goes in, he goes all in. 



The author appears to be a firm believer in Old Testament justice and Reacher dispenses it with a liberal hand.



In a community that is to perfect to be real, Jack finds lust, love, friends and perfidy.  He revises his estimate of character on several people and seeks his own brand of justice. 



As in all the Jack Reacher books I have read so far, there is non-stop action and lots of violence.  



I enjoyed the book and I recommend the book.





Web Site: http://www.leechild.com/

           
This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Reading Humor 4/19/13




This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Friday, April 19, 2013

61 Hours by Lee Child





Jack Reacher, once again, is in the wrong place at the wrong time particularly for the forces of evil.  Jack finds himself going head to head with bikers, drug cartels and an older woman who may be as stubborn as he is.



I mentioned in my last Jack Reacher  review he epitomizes stubbornness and orneriness.   He is in the little town of Bolton, South Dakota in this tale.   I thought Jack showed a little more compassion in this book with his interaction with the aged librarian.   He shows his normal propensity for barely restrained violence with the bikers.  



Mis-understood by the local constabulary, Reacher displays his normal disdain for complicated solutions are falls back on his favorite reaction of thumping heads.  The book provides good solid action adventure.  The secrets of the community and the drug lord’s idiosyncrasies are simply hot sauce on the fries, providing a little more zest to the reading. 



I enjoyed the book and I recommend the book.





Web Site: http://www.leechild.com/


This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

The Shadow Man by Mark Murphy




Wow, what is it with these southern gentlemen and their macabre story telling.   Mark Murphy is going to be a name to contend with in contemporary thrillers, move over Pat Conroy.   While Murphy is not as poetically inclined in his prose, he certainly grabs your interest and you only wrest free on the final page.  This is a tale of demented love, twisted by jealous desire and self loathing. 

Malcolm King is a successful surgeon with a lovely family.  His perfect life is shattered by malicious mischief.  Murphy does a terrific job in his characterizations.   Malcolm is highly likeable and his family is believable.   The portrayal of Q is compelling and frightening.   

The touch of the occult adds to the misty mystery quality of the story.   I am really impressed that this is Mr. Murphy’s first novel.   I look forward to his next and strongly recommend that you budget sufficient time to read this in as few a sittings as possible.  It is worth it!

I highly recommend the book. 

Body of  work of <a type="amzn" > Mark Murphy</a>

Web site:  http://www.mark-e-murphy.com/

PLUS
The Shadow Man by Mark Murphy--.99 cents for one week!
Author Mark Murphy has dropped the price of his ebook that has everyone talking to .99 cents from April 15th-April 22nd. 
Boasting 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon and GoodReads, The Shadow Man is a quick, deliciously creepy, fun read. Deemed "an enjoyable, well-written and twisty thriller with gruesome aspects balanced by warmth, believable relationships and a likable hero," by Kirkus Reviews, it follows surgeon Dr. Malcolm King, whose “perfect life” is destroyed as he is named the prime suspect in a serial murder case. But he’s not a killer. (Or is he?)
The Seattle Post Intelligencer says The Shadow Man is  “…downright creepy. . .particularly the ending. You will live Dr. Malcolm's physical and mental distress trying to piece together sliced up evidence before you and he are caged behind bars.”
About Mark Murphy: Murphy is a gastroenterologist by day, author by night, and columnist with the Savannah Morning News in between. His work has also appeared on the Huffington Post.
You can find the link to The Shadow Man Amazon here: http://amzn.to/YNZssL
Enjoy!

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Reading Humor 4/17/13





This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Monday, April 15, 2013

The Shadow Man by Mark Murphy--.99 cents for one week!


The Shadow Man by Mark Murphy--.99 cents for one week!
Author Mark Murphy has dropped the price of his ebook that has everyone talking to .99 cents from April 15th-April 22nd. 
Boasting 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon and GoodReads, The Shadow Man is a quick, deliciously creepy, fun read. Deemed "an enjoyable, well-written and twisty thriller with gruesome aspects balanced by warmth, believable relationships and a likable hero," by Kirkus Reviews, it follows surgeon Dr. Malcolm King, whose “perfect life” is destroyed as he is named the prime suspect in a serial murder case. But he’s not a killer. (Or is he?)
The Seattle Post Intelligencer says The Shadow Man is  “…downright creepy. . .particularly the ending. You will live Dr. Malcolm's physical and mental distress trying to piece together sliced up evidence before you and he are caged behind bars.”
About Mark Murphy: Murphy is a gastroenterologist by day, author by night, and columnist with the Savannah Morning News in between. His work has also appeared on the Huffington Post.
You can find the link to The Shadow Man Amazon here: http://amzn.to/YNZssL
Enjoy!


This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Nothing to Lose by Lee Child






As embarrassing as it is to admit, I am brand new to Jack Reacher.   Hard to believe that I enjoy a genre this much and have not read anything by Lee Child.  For any others who haven’t read, Reacher is the consummate, self contained, enormously talented loaner whose insatiable curiosity and stubbornness lead him into difficulties only resolved by applied violence.   This tale takes place in a remote and lonely section of Colorado and the towns of Hope and Despair.  



Jack Reacher epitomizes stubbornness and orneriness.   Jack likes to get his own way and will not hesitate to knock heads to get it.   Knowing that the stories are outrageous to begin with helps to leaven the indestructible nature of Jack.   Reacher takes lumps that are even painful to read let alone experience.  



The plot of this book was sadly plausible and thusly a bit frightening.  Reacher’s Old Testament solution is aptly appropriate.



There is non-stop action and lots of violence.   I enjoyed the book and I  recommend the book.





Web Site: http://www.leechild.com/
           



This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Shadows Before The Sun







Charlie Madigan, a female cop, is back kicking butt.   This time she is out to save her alien partner Hank from a fate that truly is worth than death.  Again Gay provides plenty of action in a good mystery with scifi and urban fantasy co-mingled.



Anyone who reads my reviews know I like butt kicking female protagonists.   I have missed several books between this and My Review of The Better Part of Darkness which was the first Kelly Gay book I read.



Gay develops her story but focuses primarily on Charlie and her outlook of the skewed world she lives in.   Rex has developed into a nicer character.  A couple of things occur in this book that logically followed the story line started in the previous books.   This book can still be read as a stand alone and enjoyed as such. 



Gay titillates the emotions and forces you to love or hate her characters. 



I highly recommend the book.






This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Reading Gift 2/20/13


Link to Buy!

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Blood Money by Doug Richardson




I have no idea if the movie the Magnificent Seven had a book but it if did, then this book had more blood than that movie.  Blood Money could be called Blood Fest.  This is a rampaging nightmare of psychoses or PTSD.  A gore depiction rather than a mystery may be an apt description. 

Sadly, I liked the book anyway.  The characters were not particularly likeable and the plot was subservient to the action.   Greg Beem was the main villain but in this book, villainy lacked clear definition.   No stone was unturned to discover the slime underneath.  Gonzo a female LAPD officer was the highlight and her character was never richly defined.  Lucky Dey was a seething muck of revenge and guilt who differed from Beem merely in a matter of degree. 

Law enforcement ranging from local cops, sheriffs and Federales are besmirched with the brush of infidelity to their oaths and their morals.  This author appears to distain everyone equally. 

If you like non-stop action filled with bullets, bodies and perfidy, this is the book for you.  It is intellectually uninspiring but it powers through your dismay with major infusions of testosterone fueled action.  

Web Site: http://dougrichardson.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.