The Hardest Ride by Gordon L. Rottman

This is a fascinating story, written in first person. I was totally caught up in Bud Eugen's thought process in how one is a cowpuncher in the 1880's; and yes, that is a cowboy. In sharing his open mind we find vocabulary and speech lively, politically incorrect and always to the point. There is no…

Stigers Tigers by Marc Alan Edelhelt

This is a fascinating beginning to a fantasy series. Ben Stiger is from a noble, wealthy and unfortunately infamous family. Although being in the military has brought out profound leadership abilities, he struggles with the repercussions caused by his father's reputation. Originally, in an elite legion, he is less than pleased to find he is…

The Last Storm by Jack Hunt

Alex Riley is a newly hired police officer who arrives in Whittier, Alaska, during the worst storm anyone has ever seen. His wife, Jess, and daughter, Hayley, are also relocated with Alex. With the temperature rapidly dropping, they quickly move some of their belongings into Begich Towers, a huge fourteen-story high-rise. They are just in…

Rustkiller by Dean F. Wilson

Well, this is different. The Coilhunter, also known as Nox, is a bounty hunter, who lives and hunts in the Wild North. There is the wastelands, an empty stretch of land, or Rust Valley, where the sun is blotted out by towering scrapyard walls built of wrecked vehicles. Inside these walls live the clockwork constructs…

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

The first time she needs a name, she uses Karen. After all, she has a friend named Karen. Well, she used to. All her friends are gone, co-workers, Jack - all gone. Alone, but for how long? The epidemic has basically killed the world. Few men survive, fewer women and no children. Karen fears that…

The Holtur Curse by Cameron Wayne Smith

What a fantastic story. The action never stops and there isn’t a dull moment. The good guy - or good woman in this case - is completely likeable without the author portraying her as perfect. As for the villains, I couldn’t help but think, “Will this guy ever die?!”, making for an engrossing read. Sonja…

Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western by Jonathan Fesmire

Yes, I’ve heard of steampunk and every time I wonder, “Just what does that mean?” So, I looked it up and I’m glad that I did. “Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology of aesthetic designs inspired by 19th century steam-powered machinery.” Thank you, Wikipedia. Armed with that knowledge,…

The Brothers Three by Layton Green

New Orleans, Louisiana Will works evenings at Medieval Nights, a joust-themed dinner theater. A few nights a week, to help his finances, he engages in staged battles with a group of fellow under-achieving twenty-somethings. To Will's disappointment, he knows this is as close to Middle Earth as he will ever get. His brother, Caleb, is a…

How Speleology Restored My Sex Drive by Michael Bernhart

First things first, I had to look up 'speleology'. Having never heard this word I was intrigued, since it was linked with everybody's favorite word, 'sex'. I suspect we're all disappointed to find that it is simply the study and exploration of caves, but without this great word the book would lack direction. This is…