Category Archives: Book Spotlight

New Suspense Thriller by Jack Cavanaugh Explores the Supernatural

Posted on by
Reply

Can someone’s spirit possess another’s body without involving demon possession? This is one of the key questions raised in Jack Cavanaugh’s new supernatural suspense thriller, Behold.

The main character in Behold is Damon, a brain-damaged teenager who repeatedly experiences a unique phenomenon. When he has seizures, his spirit is flung back in history to possess another person’s body. When he lands in medieval France, he is thought to be a demon but in reality, finds himself aligning with a secret society to battle ancient evil and solve the mystery of the seven candlesticks found in the Biblical book Revelation. The supernatural battle of good versus evil extends back before creation to a struggle against an ancient evil entity that now seeks to kill Damon.

Behold opens in Ephesus, A.D. 395, with a young man desperately fleeing for his life from an angry crowd of men sent by the goddess Artemis to destroy him. After a description of this young man’s flight, we find ourselves in the present day, where Damon introduces the story to us. This short section, entitled “The Art of Possession”, opens with:

Essentially, it’s breaking and entering, only more personal. A lot more personal. Instead of being inside someone’s house, rifling through their medicine cabinet and underwear drawer, you’re inside their head, elbow deep in their unspoken secrets, repressed memories, and the traumatic events they’ve kicked into the back corner of the closet of their minds. I avoid the closets. Too many monsters lurking there.

Behold was a thought-provoking read that I breezed through, not willing to lay it down until I was finished. It made me think of the “special kids” my daughter worked with in middle school, of how we tend to feel superior to them, and of what God’s destiny is for each of us — all the while couched in the author’s rich imagination of the supernatural realm.

The book also reminded me of Cavanaugh’s previous Kingdom Wars books — a pair of books that remain among my favorites. If you liked Kingdom Wars, I’m sure you’ll like Behold. It has much of the same flavor in terms of pace, suspense and spiritual supernatural events.

There’s one more thing about the book I want to mention — it’s available in e-book form only. And, it’s only $2.99, at price that to me is well worth the story you will get. As you might know, not having an e-reader is no excuse for not getting the book. You can get Kindle software for your PC or Mac and read it on your computer.

In terms of ranking, I give Behold 4.5 stars out of 5. It will definitely be staying in my library and someday I’m sure I will go back and read it again.

You can purchase Behold from Amazon (for Kindle) or from Barnes & Noble (for Nook). For more information, here are my affiliate links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble. In addition, check out the book trailer below.

You can find the author at: http://www.jackcavanaugh.com/

YouTube Preview Image

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Will the Movie Live Up to the Book?

Posted on by
2

I’ve been hearing a lot about the The Hunger Games movie coming out on March 23, 2012, which is based on a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. Friends kept telling me I needed to read this book so I finally broke down and found a copy to read before the movie hits the theaters. Now, having read it, I can see why it was recommended to me. I think this book has the potential to become a classic in the YA (Young Adult) market.

The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel set in an area that used to be Appalachia — in the book, still one of the poorest districts in Panem, the nation that used to be the United States. The districts that waged war on the Capitol lost the battle and have since been locked down by the nation’s rulers. One way to remind each district of their subjugation is that they are forced to compete in the annual Hunger Games competition. Each district is required to send two of their children, one boy and one girl, to fight in the games until only 1 of the total 24 contestants is left alive — something akin to the ancient Romans’ gladiator games but set in an arena that covers a large area that forces the children to survive a fight not just their enemies but the elements as well.

When Katniss’ little sister is chosen to be a contestant, this 16-year-old girl volunteers to take her place. Enter Peeta, the boy chosen from Katniss’ district. Peeta is unique because rather than adopting the cold attitude of competition that the others have, he is intent on holding on to his humanity, even if he loses. He holds this attitude not only to maintain self-respect but also to prove that those in authority don’t own him. Katniss finds this vulnerability hard to accept in the face of being forced into an event that has become a pop culture mainstay of their society, something that the entire nation follows on reality television in great detail.

The reason I ask if the movie will be able to live up to the book is because the original work written by Suzanne Collins combines so well themes of communism, personal freedom (or lack thereof), defiance, and most of all, the struggles that exist inside the emotions and psyche of the main character. Traditionally, I find that movies have trouble accurately depicting a character’s inner struggles nearly as well as an author can in the pages of a book. Here one can explore these emotions and thoughts in great detail.

That said, I am greatly intrigued by the movie trailer and wonder if in this case the screenwriters and directors may have done just that. We’ll never know, however, until we get to see the movie. When that time comes I’ll be curious to hear what y’all have to say. I give Hunger Games 4 stars out of 5.

For now, though, what do you expect or hope to see from the movie? I’d love to hear from you! Just leave me a comment below.

The official movie trailer is posted at: http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com

You can find the author, Suzanne Collins, at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

If you want more information about the book, here are my Barnes & Noble and Amazon affiliate links.

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Methodical World-Building with L.E. Modesitt in Imager

Posted on by
Reply

Want a good example of a thoroughly and meticulously built fantasy world? I believe L.E. Modesitt, Jr. may be one of the best.

First published in March 2009, it’s taken me a while to get to Imager, Book One of the Imager Portfolio. In fact, this is only the second of his books that I’ve read (the other being The Lord Protector’s Daughter) and yet I see a number of similarities in the way the two books are crafted. And “methodical” is definitely a key word in describing both books.

The story opens with Rhennthyl, the son of a leading wool merchant in Solidar, who avoids entering his family business in favor of becoming a journeyman painter and portraiture artist. He becomes so successful that his skill is equivalent to that of a master, and yet his master patron seems reluctant to allow Rhennthyl to achieve that rank.

However, when an explosion kills his mentor, he finds his life turned upside down. Rhenn discovers he is an imager, one of a small handful of people who can visualize things into reality. As such, he must leave his family to join the ranks of the other imagers at the Collegium of Imagisle. And so his new life begins, one fraught with danger and intrigue.

I found that although the plot in Imager moves slowly, I couldn’t stop reading it. The action is subtle, but this actually matches Rhenn’s new life. You see an imager must be subtle — more so than even an assassin and even more discreet than a spy if possible. This is because as a whole, imagers are feared by society, which is why they must live apart from others, and why they must be very careful and their actions surreptitious.

In Imager, Modesitt also explores many angles of philosophy, which, again, remind me of The Lord Protector’s Daughter. Based on my limited experience with this prolific author, it seems this is part of his personal writing style. As such, the book would likely appeal to readers who prefer a philosophical approach to society, culture, and the intrigues of government. A corollary skill of this approach is Modesitt’s careful construction of said societies and relationships, of which this author is a master.

Imager is not a book that I will likely read again, but I am hooked on the life and struggles of poor Rhennthyl. I’ve already started Book Two and will likely read Book Three. As such, I give Imager 3.75 out of 5 stars.

If you’d like more info, here are my Barnes & Noble and Amazon affiliate links.

In addition, you can find the author at: http://www.lemodesittjr.com/

How about you? Have you read any of The Imager Portfolio trilogy? Or do you have a favorite author that excels at world-building? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from  you!

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Human Cloning Explored in Jill Williamson’s “Replication”

Posted on by
2

Martyr stared at the equation on the whiteboard and set his pencil down. He didn’t feel like practicing math today. What did math matter when his expiration date was so near?

His wrist still throbbed from Fido’s teeth. Martyr touched the strip of fabric he’d ripped from his bedsheet and tied around his wrist to stop the bleeding. He hoped the wound would heal before a doctor noticed it. A trip upstairs to mend it would be unpleasant, as the doctor would likely use the opportunity to perform tests. Martyr shuddered.

So begins Jill Williamson’s Replication, a novel that explores the ethics of human cloning and God’s purpose for our lives. Couched in the pages of a suspenseful story, Replication follows the struggles of J:3:3, a human clone nicknamed Martyr because of his dedication to protecting the deformed Brokens from cruel clones who also live at the secret underground Jason Farms facility. Innocent, intelligent and curious, Martyr’s greatest desire is to see the sky before he expires on his eighteenth birthday.

Next we meet Abby Goyer, who comes home from school to find her apartment empty, all furniture, pictures and even her cat gone, the apartment stripped down to carpet and bare walls. She calls her dad, who tells her that they are leaving Washington DC and moving to Alaska — the plane leaves in three hours. Already rocked by her mother’s death from cancer, Abby reaches her new home and tries to navigate her way through the uncertainties of a small-town high school. The first person she meets, an arrogant jock named JD Kane, seems to show up everywhere she goes, much to her chagrin. Despite his good looks, his obnoxious and sometimes scary behavior causes Abby to avoid him at all costs.

The story takes a turn when Abby meets Martyr, a boy who eerily looks just like JD. Then things get really strange when Martyr tells her there are fifty-five boys living at Jason Farms and that he has less than one month to live before he expires. Abby tells him about the Creator of the Universe and how he has a plan for Martyr. But she falls into danger when she tries to uncover the truth; Martyr is torn between finding his intended purpose, caring for the Brokens, and wanting to be with Abby, the one he is convinced he was meant to have.

Replication, an inspirational YA novel, is set to reach stores in January 2012. The book is Jill’s fourth published book, following on the heels of her award-winning Blood of Kings fantasy trilogy. You can find her online at: http://jillwilliamson.com/

For more information regarding Replication, here are my affiliate links for Barnes & Noble and Amazon. In addition, you can watch two trailers for the book here, one from Abby’s point of view and one from Jason’s.

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Heather Burch Dips into Paranormal Fiction with “Halflings”

Posted on by
Reply

What happens when the offspring of fallen angels and human women are tempted with forbidden love?

Obedience, respect, and love in the face of mortal danger are the themes that form the skeleton on which Heather Burch’s new book Halflings is built. The story follows Nikki Youngblood, a self-assured 17-year-old whose life is turned upside-down when a quartet of hell hounds appear. While fleeing for her life, three mysterious and attractive boys come to her rescue and Nikki soon finds that her life will never be the same.

What Nikki doesn’t know is that the three boys are the offspring of fallen angels and human women. They were sent to the Earth to protect her, but as Mace and Raven grow closer to their charge, the focus of the mission begins to waver. Relationships between Halflings and humans are strictly forbidden, and Mace struggles to honor the rules he has kept until now. Raven, however, has no problem breaking such rules — though Nikki is the first girl who has made him want to turn away from the darkness that tempts him. But Nikki doesn’t want to choose between the two, especially since choosing either would result in the loss of their eternal reward. And yet, in the midst of this triangle, Nikki and her three guardians find themselves pitted against more than just hell hounds. However, the source of the true threat facing them remains elusive.

Halflings is one of a growing number of sci-fi and fantasy books being introduced by publishers that have traditionally focused on Christian faith-based books. I don’t read a lot of YA fiction, but this one caught my eye and the publisher agreed to send me a copy to review. Publisher Zondervan’s publicity group is putting Halflings in the same camp as Stephanie Meyer and Lauren Kate. I can’t testify as to whether that is a fair comparison or not because (gasp!) I haven’t read either of these popular authors. So many books, so little time.

What I do know is that Halflings was a fun read. I love Nikki, the gutsy, motorcycle-riding, martial arts expert. I love her self-sufficiency and desire to tackle any problem head-on, even if it has fur and teeth.

As for the Halflings themselves, I can picture the three attractive young men as they turn the heads of all the girls, and my heart breaks for Raven with his bad-boy attitude that actually hides a heart full of pain. I mourn with Mace as he struggles to work past a love for Nikki that, if he gives in, will earn him a place in hell. The third boy, Vine, is a great supporting character who is dependable, strong and full of innocent, boyish charm.

Will, the boys’ guardian, has heartache of his own to deal with, penance to make for past sins. And yet, his goodness and devotion to God is as diametrically opposed as one can get to the putrid, terrifying hell hounds that would love nothing better than to sink their fangs into Nikki’s flesh. “Why?” you ask. If I told you, that would ruin the fun. You’ll have to read and see for yourself. (Hint: the author does a pretty good job of stretching this out, teasing the reader and throwing out just enough tidbits to keep one guessing. I love it when the author treats us as intelligent readers.)

On the “con” side, romance is not my favorite genre to read by far so I was a bit worried about that angle, wondering if it would be strong enough to make me want to put the book down. But I found it well-done — not too strong and yet full of tension and uncertainty. To me, the book is more suspense than romance and for me, that’s a good thing. The paranormal twist combined with the suspense provided a nice balance for me. And yet, if you are a YA romance reader, I think Halflings will fit the bill just fine.

Overall, I give Halflings 4 stars out of 5. The book hits shelves in January 2012 and I look forward to the next books in the series. Book 2 (Guardian) and book 3 (Risen) are both scheduled to be released later in 2012.

It just so happens that 5 copies of Halflings are being given away on Goodreads. If you’re interested, the deadline to enter the contest is December 30, 2011. Here’s the link:
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/14463-halflings

For more information on Heather Burch’s Halflings, here are my affiliate links to Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I’m hoping to interview Heather and post the results of that sometime in the near future. I’ll keep you posted on that one. Meanwhile, you can find her on the web at:
http://heatherburchbooks.com/

NOTE ADDED 12-20-11: I see that a related short story with graphic novel-type illustrations is now available from the Amazon Kindle store here — download is free.

Do you read paranormal YA fiction? What is your favorite? I’d love to hear from you so let me know, ok?

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”