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Book Review – Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham

Scene & Structure (Elements of Fiction Writing)Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham is a non-fiction title for writers, covering proven techniques used to write a compelling story.

The Cover: The cover works well for this title. The image reflects a non-fiction book and the title links it to the craft of writing.

The Good Stuff: At my stage as a writer, when I read books on the craft of writing I often find that there is very little to be learned from the content. This book was very different. It could be that I have not delved deeply enough into the topics covered here before, or maybe for some reason I have just not connected with the concepts, but I found that I learned a great deal from this title. It covers a great deal of content and does not go over the same ground repeatedly, using different words, as some books tend to do. The information is written in a logical way that I found really easy to understand. I also love the fact that there are further examples held back for an appendices, with a line by line breakdown that explains how the techniques have been applied.

The Bad Stuff: While I did skip read some small parts of this book, I can’t say that there was any bad stuff in it. More-so it was techniques I am familiar with and did not feel the need to go over, or one example too many that I didn’t wish to read through.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can say I have learnt a good deal from it. This title gives a detailed, yet easy to understand, explanation of structure and form, cause and effect, stimulus and response, scenes and sequels, and chapters and plot. Well worth the money and time invested. I’m giving this book a well-formed, purposely crafted, 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – Red Country by Joe Abercrombie.

Red Country (First Law World, #6)

Red Country by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Red Country by Joe Abercrombie follows Shy South and her ‘father’ Lamb across wild country in search of kidnapped family.

The Cover: In my opinion, the worst thing about Joe Abercrombie’s books are the covers. At best they are quite plain, but I really don’t like this one at all. I don’t think this cover fits with the story, it isn’t clear what you are getting, and if I didn’t know the author (and love his writing style), this cover would not have caught my attention. I can only hope he updates them at some point with covers that do his stories justice and deserve to grace the front of his novels.

The Good Stuff: There is everything I have come to expect from a Joe Abercrombie book, right here in this novel – Blood, gore and treachery a-plenty, well developed characters and a great yarn. We see some of his old, well-loved characters like Cosca, Shivers and the Bloody Nine. I love Logen Nine Fingers and I would have liked to have seen more of him, but he does play more than a cameo role in this story and that kept my appetite sated. The characters, are in line with Joe’s style, they are hard cases you love and hate all the same. They have a visible character arc through the story and come out changed characters at the end.

The Bad Stuff: For me, this book was somewhat different from the others I’ve read by Joe. This one had a real western feel to it, which will be pleasing to some, but I would have preferred something more in line with his previous works in this world. I also didn’t connect to the main character as well in this novel as I have to his past protagonists.

I’m giving this book a menacing, sunken eyed, evil grin with 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Vagrant by Peter Newman.

The Vagrant (The Vagrant, #1)

The Vagrant by Peter Newman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Vagrant by Peter Newman is a dystopian novel with sci fi and fantasy elements. It follows the story of a mute protagonist as he journeys across the wastelands with a goat and a baby (at least for the duration of my read).

The Cover: I love the cover to this book. It has great artwork and it tells me straight away that this is a fantasy novel. I even get the feeling it is set in a dystopian world and picture is a great representation of the main character.

The Good Stuff: The story was interesting, I would like to know how it unfolds – just not enough to push me through author’s prose. I liked the wasteland, the author has built a believable world, ravished by ‘demons’, where life fights to survive among the new hosts. The protagonist, while he did not talk up to the point where I stopped reading, is interesting. I find I want to know more of his story, where he came from and why he is there. I have some ideas based on the story so far, but nothing was given away by the author to the point I read up to, merely hinted at.

The bad stuff: I really didn’t like the author’s style of writing. There were lots of short sentences, to the point where the story was confusing or didn’t make sense to me in places. I didn’t manage to finish this book, I loaned it from my local library, struggled through to page 169 and when the 3rd renewal came up, figured if I haven’t gotten into the book by now, it was not worth the trouble renewing again.

I think that if you are okay with the author’s writing style, you will enjoy this book. The story is interesting, the world is believable and there is variety in the characters. Personally, I couldn’t get past the author’s style. I don’t think this was a bad book, just not a book for me. I’m only giving it 2 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Ares Weapon by D.M. Pruden.

The Ares Weapon

The Ares Weapon by D.M. Pruden

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Ares Weapon by D.M. Pruden is a novella sized, Indie Sci-Fi/thriller. Dr Melanie Destin has a dream to start a new life on Mars. She is unwittingly coaxed into taking on a new job and soon finds out that not all is what it’s meant to be.

The Cover: The cover isn’t the best I’ve seen, it doesn’t scream out pick me up, but it isn’t bad and it’s one I would take a second look when browsing in a store. It tweaks my interest, does a good job conveying they genre and gives you a feel for what the story is going to be about.

The Good Stuff: Okay, I’m going to have a little rant above about the bad stuff later, but first let’s take a look at the positives of this book. Putting aside all the issues below, I actually enjoyed the story and found it easy to read. I think the author has a good concept of sentence and paragraph length. There are well constructed sentences (outside of those that have lost a word or have repeated the same word twice) and the prose runs smoothly. There is a good balance of description, narrative and dialogue and there’s also some good lines in the story, like ‘The smell of unwashed bodies hung in the poor airflow of the hundred-year-old tram car.’ There were little touches in this story that brought it to life for me, things like water rations running out in the shower and having to pay a premium for five more minutes. There has also been a lot of work put into the plot, and while I questioned some of the turns, I accepted them freely enough because I was enjoying the story and wanted to see how things worked out. The characters are well formed and there is both a strong protagonist and a ruthless antagonist, who both play key parts in the story and help to develop the plot. Another thing to note is that while I’m not a fan of first person, apart from one paragraph that annoyed me, it was done very well.

The Bad Stuff: This book had a lot of niggling issues for me. The content could do with a copy edit/proof read as there are several missing conjunctive words, double conjunctive words (i.e. the the) and at least one spelling mistake throughout the book (I know this seems petty, and normally I would expect that, but combined with the other issues it irked me).

There are also quite a few Latin words used in the story, and while I understand what the author was trying to achieve, I found this distracting. A bigger issue in my opinion, is that chapters jump from third person to first person narrative and back. I am not a fan of first person and in one particular paragraph it seemed like every sentence started with ‘I’. There was also some head hopping, thoughts shown in italics in some places, yet plain text in others, and a mirror scene used to describe the protagonist.

I found some issues with the logic in the story too – The whole squatter thing didn’t make sense to me. Squatters rarely look after a squat house and it is even rarer that they leave of their own accord. Besides, it would make more sense to rent your apartment out if you knew you would be away for an extended period, especially if you are saving for your dream. As a reader I would also have been more sympathetic to the protagonist if she had not so easily (and so willingly) reverted to her old life, but rather had been set up to make it look like she had done so.

I don’t normally read Sci-Fi or Thrillers, but on the whole this is a good, enjoyable read. I feel that if the author spends a little time fixing up some of the issues and releasing a version 2, it could end up as a great book. I’m giving this one 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3)

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson continues the Mistborn saga as Vin, Elend and the rest of the crew try to unite the Empire and save their crumbling world.

The Cover: This cover is professional and has nice artwork that aligns with the series. The image fits with the genre and depicts a scene from the story well.

The Good Stuff: I loved this book as much as the first two. It progresses the story of all our favourite characters – Vin, Elend, Sazed, Tensoon, Spook, and more, as well as introducing some new characters we start to care for. The magic system continues to expand as the story reveals more of its hidden secrets and I feel that Sanderson has found a good balance of giving new readers what they need to know while not repeating too much of what existing readers have already learned. Sanderson has done a great job holding back story details that are drip fed to us over the series, and this last book reveals the last of those secrets, bringing us to a full understanding of the world and why things are the way they are.

The Bad Stuff: I really can’t think of anything bad that stood out to me. There were one or two spots where I questioned if a character had learned some of the information they knew, but I didn’t want to go back/read over to find out. I just wanted to keep moving forward with the story. I trust that Sanderson would have covered this and that I had not registered these snippets of information as I was reading.

Overall this is a great resolution to this fantasy series and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’m going to give this one an earth moving, pewter filled 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, #1)

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson is a YA fantasy novel about a boy called Alcatraz, given up by his parents at an early age, only to be shifted from one home to the next because of his talent for breaking things. But there is more to this boy than meets the eye and the librarians’ know it.

The Cover: I really don’t like this cover, but I can’t deny that it fits with the story, the genre, and it pitches the book to a YA audience. It isn’t unprofessional, but it certainly isn’t the best cover I’ve seen.

The Good Stuff: I really enjoyed this book. No I mean it, I really enjoyed this book. Even with all its typos. They just didn’t bother me because I was enjoying it so much. It is witty and fun from the very beginning. It even has some good tips for budding writers as Alcatraz tells his story through a first person POV – And the most surprising thing of all, is that I hate first person POV. The way Sanderson handled this was pure style.

The Bad Stuff: I’m sorry, but I have to say it. This book was riddled with typos, missing letters, word double ups, etc… and could do with a thorough edit. But honestly, I can’t say anything else bad against this book.

Overall this book is creative, well-paced, light hearted and fun. If you are looking for something a little quirky that will make you smile, I strongly recommend it. I’m giving this one a gadget breaking 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon by Shannon Reber

The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon - Book 1The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon – Book 1 by Shannon Reber

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Puppeteer is about Enya, a young princess whose father has been possessed by a demon seeking to take over the lands. What Enya doesn’t know is that she is a Fire wielder and is only just starting to realise she has magical powers. Can she learn to control her powers and defeat the evil trying to take over the land?

The Cover: I don’t mind the cover to this title, but it feels more like a mystery/horror/thriller cover to me. The colours work together and the fonts are clear, but I would not have picked it for a Dark Fantasy title. I think the author could benefit from aligning the cover more closely to the genre.

The Good Stuff: There is a good storyline in this title with some good ideas and some interesting characters. The Gatekeeper is my favourite and I would have liked to have known more about him and his story.

The Bad Stuff: I say this frequently and I recognize that it is a personal preference, but I really do not like 1st person unless it is done very well. It wasn’t done badly, but it wasn’t done well enough for me to overlook and this took away from my enjoyment of the book. Another thing I didn’t like which I can also attribute to personal taste, is the Chapter titles. The chapter naming convention is to use the name of the character whose point of view (POV) the chapter is written in. This confused at first, once I realized the convention, it disappointed me. Eventually, it helped me, as some chapters were not immediately clear who’s POV we were in and a quick glance at the chapter name solved this. The story is also very dark in places, and while this demonstrated the character traits through their actions, I didn’t feel like the same tone/mood was set through the description and word use in these parts of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I could have taken or left it. It did not draw me in enough to push me through with a want to read, so much as I continued because I had committed to reading the book. Considering my personal dislike for 1st person I’m going to lean on the generous side and give this one a smouldering 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – Fondling Your Muse by John Warner

Fondling Your MuseFondling Your Muse by John Warner

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fondling Your Muse is a non-fiction title that provides advice to writers. It is described as a hands on guide to writing your very own New York Times best seller.

The Cover: I have a hardback copy of this book and the cover is awesome. It has a texture to it that looks like soft leather. The colour is good, trimmed with gold and the white font pops. It is a beautiful cover that drew me to the book straight away. I wouldn’t say that it screams ‘non-fiction writing guide’ to me, more like a book of poems or a religious text, however the title sparks interest and the sub-titles tell you exactly what the book is about.

The Good Stuff: The cover is awesome. The content itself is very tongue-in-cheek funny which you will enjoy if you like that sort of thing. The book does also have writing related information, which for the complete novice may be of some use.

The Bad Stuff: I was really disappointed with this book. The quality of the cover and its bindings gave me high hopes. I was sorely let down by the comedic style of writing, which had me questioning when the author was serious and when he was just fooling around. Maybe it’s me and my sense of humour, but I just didn’t get all the humour. Yes, I laughed in places, but I also thought it was ridiculous in places. I don’t mind a bit of humour, but I expect a certain level of sophistication from a non-fiction title, and this book just didn’t cut it for me.

Overall, you will get a laugh from this book, but you have to ask yourself ‘is that what I want?’ Honestly, I don’t usually get so snarky about books, maybe I was just having an off day, but I felt like I wasted my time on this one. I really don’t want to waste more time reading it again to find out if that was the really case. So, if you’re keen, give it a go. You may love it and tell me just how wrong I am, but I’m only giving this 2 out of 5 golden bookmarks (and that’s solely because I love the cover).

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review: The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1)

The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Alchemy with WordsThe Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1) Edited by Darin Park and Tom Dullemond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction title with numerous contributing writers, and is written for writers. It is a compendium that covers a broad range of material for writers of fantasy and will be useful to those writing in this genre.

The Cover: The image is a good fit for a non-fiction title geared towards writers and the quill lends itself to the fantasy genre. The title clearly conveys what the book is about, but while the fonts are suitable enough, I feel the title fonts could have been a little better. Overall, a strong cover for the title.

The Good Stuff: This book would be a fantastic addition to any fantasy writer’s reference library. It is packed with useful information on topics relevant to the fantasy genre, from medieval food and clothing, to religion and world building. This book has detailed information weapons, armour, and much more. It also provides links to websites and further reference material that is relevant and may be of use.

The Bad Stuff: If there is any bad stuff, I did not notice it. I am very satisfied with this book as a reference guide for writing fantasy.

Overall, this is a fantastic reference guide. It covers a great deal of topics relevant to the fantasy writer and will open your eyes to, or at the very least remind you about, checking your facts. The content is both interesting and great for future reference. I’m ranking this one 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from this link:

amazon.com.au

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle (Book of Never, #0)

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes is a short fantasy story about a thief with bad blood (hmmm… why does that sound familiar to me). We follow the story of Never as he steals he way towards a cure.

The Cover: Okay, I’m adding a new section for cover design in my reviews as I feel they need to be spoken about. I love the cover on this book and probably would not have bothered to pick this title up if not the beautiful artwork. It screams fantasy to me, provoking a mood of gritty action and danger. Just my kind of book.

The Good Stuff: I must say that once I got over the character’s name and the writing style, I actually enjoyed this story and the world building that was developed over this short story. It is certainly a fantasy set in a world I enjoy to read. The characters were also quite well rounded for a short story. The storyline isn’t bad at all, but as with any new author you read, it may take a few pages to get into the swing of things. I’d say give it a chance and see what you think, I found it free on amazon and if the end matter in the book is up to date, you can get the following book free if you sign up to My Capes Newsletter.

The Bad Stuff: The name of our protagonist threw me off. Every time I read his name I was confused by the actual meaning of the word, expecting a sentence to form somewhat differently. The writing style didn’t grip me and pull me in either, I found it a bit passive.

Overall the story was interesting and well-paced, I wasn’t fully invested in the characters, but feel if I were given a little more time with them, I would form a stronger bond. If you are looking for something quick to read with a fantasy setting, I’d say give it a go. I’m giving this one a shadow hugging 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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amazon.com.au
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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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