Monthly Archives: September 2024

Action, Adventure, Alternate HIstory, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Socio-Sexual Studies, Speculative, Sports, Time Travel

Paradox 1: Escaping Fate by Henry Brown

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Paradox 1: Escaping Fate by Henry Brown

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I don’t like time travel tropes. The whole concept of time traveling usually ends up giving me a headache. But I’d be a liar if I said there were NO works of fiction out there (based on time-traveling) that I didn’t end up loving over the years. The biggest example of this is Wild Stars by legendary Michael Tierney!

 

A new series can now be added to my collection of rare favorite time travel-based pulp novels: PARADOX, written by none other than your Virtual Pulp editor-in-chief Henry Brown!

Escaping Fate covers the entire first volume of Paradox, and this is where we are introduced to our main characters–Peter and Uncle Si–in their present circumstances. But before we discuss those in more detail, it’s important to see that this story is comprised of THREE fundamental layers which work together to produce what I believe is a new cultural dimension of Americana:

  • Socio-cultural
  • Developmental
  • Fictional

Socio-cultural: the story is not just a fun and exciting adventure, but it is a mirror of the social and cultural aspects of humans–specifically in the US. The time traveling tech here offers an eye-opening lesson on how and why humans behave the way they do, and from one generation to the next. Why were people in the 1950s, for example, so much different in behavior, likes, dislikes, interests, and ambitions from our contemporaries? Or why was a family able to sustain itself on a single income? These and other complex socio-cultural questions are intelligently tackled in the pages of EF.

 

Developmental: Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, Rocky and Mickey, Neo and Morpheus. What all these iconic duos have in common is that they all show a very special teacher/student relationship, with the student going through a developmental journey which otherwise would have never taken place. Similarly, young Peter literally goes through his own transformation/maturing via the teaching of Uncle Si. The image of the mentor not only supervising the student but caring for him and nurturing him is here on display and THAT is where for me the story really sets itself apart!

 

Fictional: the time travel technology, the rigged vehicles and airplanes, the ‘invisibility’ raincoats, are all showcased here in all their glory. This is the sci-fi element of the story. If you like to read about cool toys, there’s plenty to spare here!

PLOT:

Without giving too much away, Peter is a kid of age 12-13(?) raised by a single mom in 1988(?) St. Louis. Living in a shabby trailer with mom, barely making ends meet is a constant toll on Peter’s psyche. The health of a child is strictly connected to the health and cohesiveness of his family. Eating stale buns is the norm for Peter. Not having friends other than his dog is just one of the many results of his present situation.

But circumstances suddenly turn around with the arrival of enigmatic Uncle Si into Peter’s life. Uncle Si takes Peter under his wing to teach him how to basically stand for himself and become a man. When a group of futuristic hitmen attack his trailer–taking the lives of both his mom and step-brother–Uncle Si rescues Peter and enlightens him on his true identity as a time travel bandit.

Peter and Uncle Si will visit several time periods together, and each trip will prove a teaching lesson for the youngster.

CONCLUSIONS:

I think that this book should be read less as a sci-fi novel and more as a source of reflection upon the history of the US and the West, and understand what elements have played a role and continue to play a role in the quality of life that is considered the norm. If you lean left you’d probably be skeptical of some of its content, and that’s OK too. But in my humble opinion this is a pillar of US fiction literature and families should read this together and have a conversation about it.

The refreshing thing about ESCAPING FATE is that the author understands that portraying people from a different era is not just about putting them in period clothes. Their cognitive processes were developed during entirely different circumstances than ours. Their attitudes and tendencies are going to be different from ours. This is something that a big majority of modern writers fail to grasp or refuse to acknowledge.

My only issue was that the ending of Book 1 felt very incomplete. Readers won’t feel a sense of fulfillment UNLESS they read Book 2 next. That’s fine, but like I always say: if you expect readers to PAY for your book, you have to offer some sense of fulfillment by the time they get to the last page. Can you read Book 1 by itself and get some degree of fulfillment? Or does it leave you hanging like you just bought ⅙ of the entire book?

My advice? By all 6 volumes together! 

🦀

Editor’s note: A “box set” of all six E-Books in the series is forthcoming.

UPDATE 1: The Box Set for Apple, Kobo, B&N, and other non-Amazon sites, is available for pre-order.

UPDATE 2: The Box Set is now available on Amazon.

Reviews, Sci-Fi

Dreams Within Dreams – a Review

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Dreams Within Dreams – Serial One: Omnipresence by M.D. Boncher

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If Onslaught  resembles a sci-fi/action movie from the 90s, Dreams Within Dreams might recall The Fifth Element and  2002 TV series Firefly. Add interesting characters, a solid plot line, and just the right amount of comedy, and you have an instant winner of modern indie pulp.

What this short and enjoyable novelette also does is prove that you can have a simple, straightforward story without flat-like-pancakes characters and wooden dialogue. In fact, characters like our protagonist, Winston, display a level of humanity and depth that might be subtle on the surface yet very engaging as their adventures progress.

Same with the plot. Boncher will take us for a rollercoaster ride but he is wise enough to avoid tired-out stereotypical tropes that oversaturate the current market. His writing approach is what I admire most: don’t write solely having in mind the reaction of your readers but write what makes sense within the story you are telling.

PLOT:

Winston lives in what is referred to as ‘The Dream’, a reality that resulted from King Xiao destroying the world as we know it. In this new world Winston works for a freight company, moving goods and parcels by way of his space tug the Sierra Madre, and with the aid of a mechanical humanoid named Billy Joe.

After being offered a gig that would earn him more money than he’s ever dreamed of, Winston finds himself caught in the midst of the illegal trafficking of weapons of mass destruction for a dangerous cartel. By the time he finds out what his cargo holds, he’s in too deep! Throw in the mix two undercover officers onboard, Mr. Tollman and Ms. Iverson (aka Holly), and Winston’s plan for a big payday quickly becomes the worst ride of his life!

 

CHARACTERS:

Character development is important whether we’re talking about a very complex storyline or a very simple one. Simple characters should not be BORING characters. And in this short novel we see that formula applied to characters like Winston or even his mechanical co-pilot Billy Joe or even the attractive yet mysterious Holly. 

Winston on the surface seems to be a very practical down -to-business type of guy.  “Get the job done and get paid” is his mantra. But underneath that seemingly pragmatic persona, Winston hides demons that keep haunting him in his sleep. So much so that he finds himself almost addicted to this virtual reality rig he hooks himself up  to whenever he can, to escape a harsh reality. Readers will learn more about Winston as things progress and Holly will soon become a determining factor in Winston’s life. But not in the way you would expect whenever a stunningly attractive woman is involved.

 

A NOTE FROM THE REVIEWER: 

The author states that “the idea came to me after watching a whole bunch of old Flash Gordon serials and was like, yeah, that can be done.” The issue is that not everything that works in TV or comic books will necessarily work in novel format. 

I’m particularly referring to how Book 1 ends with a cliffhanger and really makes you feel like nothing got done, or accomplished, or fulfilled despite characters and plot becoming more and more engaging. I think every novel , even in a serialized format , should make the reader feel like things moved from point A to point B and certain goals were reached or accomplished. Here, the end feels truncated and unless you don’t buy Volume 2 you are left with a partial story, literally. My opinion is that the author should have published the entire story including Book 1, 2, and 3 as one single book because, honestly, Book 1 feels somewhat unfulfilling in the end and it felt like someone turning off your TV just when things are getting intense. Is that really how we want to feel after spending money to purchase a book?

CONCLUSIONS: 

Obviously this will get a follow-up review of Book 2, Lucid Reality.

 If anything I hope the quality enjoyed in the first book will continue and then we will go on and cover Book 3, The Waking Nightmare. 

I highly encourage you to get all 3 books together since the author ‘s approach mentioned earlier might leave some of you disappointed, or dissatisfied perhaps, by only reading Book 1 by itself!

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews

Crown of Blood by D.L. & J.C. Chaput

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CROWN OF BLOOD by by Daniel Leo Chaput & Joseph Claude Chaput

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Crown of Blood was the result of the combined minds of brothers Daniel and Joseph Chaput, also known as the Brothers Krynn on Substack. Bros Krynn are perhaps the most prolific and inspiring authors on Substack, just now passing the 1000-sub mark, and deservingly so! Their body of work is as extended as it is inspiring. From their essays to their short stories to their news articles, these two are constantly researching and writing!

Their first published book is a collection of short stories which are all linked by a common thread: the bloody and violent history of the crown of Caledonia (now Scotland). Each short story is written by either Daniel, or Joseph, or both, in a relentless chronological fashion, and each story is accompanied by short poems, also written by the authors.

 

CONTENTS:

 

    • In the Valley of the Dark River: where we learn of the fall of king of the Caleds, Mael-Martin after an impetuous and disastrous military strategic decision.
    • The Final Supper: King Domnall, frustrated at ruling a kingdom in dissent, shows weakness that his family sought to take advantage of, and ultimately ends up being assassinated.
    • The Man who thought himself King: Ringear, brother of the late King Domnall, now High King and monarch of the Eastern region, deals with the phantoms of his deceased relatives, including his own son.
    • Brother against Brother: King Achaius kidnaps Princess Isla, not knowing that a Northman temporarily serving as head of his guards will get in the way.
    • In the Shadow of the Longwoods: Duibh, son of Ringear, now king, has a strange meeting with the three mysterious crones who prophesy his fate.
    • Death in Hallowed Halls: Newly appointed King Domnall son of Ringean is counseled into gaining the support of the clergy to keep in power.
    • The Fall of the Two Kings: Padraig, with the aid of Mormaer Adaidh, infiltrates King Ketill disguised as a monk in order to claim revenge on his brothers.
    • The Blackcrow-Fields: Achaius III son of Ketill-with the aid of Uncle Siomon-orchestrates an attack on newly established high king Padraig, to avenge his father.
    • To Defy a Dragon: Achaius III is set upon attacking Razenth in the North despite the counseling of Cinaed to abstain from taking the offensive.
    • The Black Mormaer: newly appointed high king Baltair, brother of foolish Achaius III, decides to heavily tax his kingdom in order to raise an army, only to be taken prisoner and ultimately die in captivity.
    • A Dagger in the Night: prince and soon to be king Amlaib falls in love with bard Jehanne despite court gossip surrounding the event.
    • The Mid-Autumn Hunt: Amlaib II succeeds his murdered father to the dismay of Cinaid II who was sure he’d be the one to gain the crown.
    • The Triumph of the Thistle: Siomon MacCausantín returns to claim the crown from murderer-turned-king Cinaed II.

 

BACK TO TRUE MYTHOS:

What sets this book apart from most of what I’ve read lately is its unique blend of the historical with the mythological. And so as we read all about the fascinating history of Medieval Scotland, we will witness the introduction of mythological characters such as the dark elves, the dwarves, and even dragons. But this is done in a way that has not been done before. Today we see an oversaturated market for the  fantasy fiction genre, but very few classic ‘fairy stories’. By fairy stories I’m referring to stories more resembling those of Roland The Knight, King Arthur, or Sigurd, to name a few. 

PLOT:

The stories you will read all revolve around a seemingly cursed crown of Caledonia. You will read of the three mysterious crones (witches?) who prophesied the death in blood for each subsequent monarch to hold the crown and how the curse will affect not only the high king but those around him, in some very unpredictable ways, and from one generation to the next.

 

HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT:

Initially these stories were supposed to be part of the appendix of a novel Joseph Chaput was working on when his brother Dan became so fascinated with the characters that it transformed into its own project (similar to what has been done with some of Tolkien’s material).

A WORD OF CAUTION:

I must point out that due to the very nature of the work in dealing with genealogy and each story presenting descendants after descendants, readers must be cautious not to get thrown off by all the names and locations they will encounter. Particularly when many of the characters are named after their predecessors, it can be hard to keep track of who is who, jumping from one story to the next. I found myself having to go back and forth to make sure I could identify each next character accurately. Those of you who are into history and the study of genealogies should be fine or even appreciate it.

 

LEGENDS IN THE MAKING:

On a personal note, I must say that the Bros. Krynn and I truly speak the same language (not French, even though that’s their first language!). I mean the language of TRUE LEGENDS! 

We live in a world where progressive modernism is trying to grab those legends, myths, and fairy tales of old, and twist them to suit their deranged fancies. Bros. Krynn are a bastion of truth, honor and respect for what came before us, and they are able to capture the essence of myth and legend within an accurate, undefiled, historical setting.

BUY THIS/SPREAD THE WORD:

This book is not getting the attention it truly deserves on the market right now and I encourage you to pick up a copy and leave a review. At the time I picked up mine there was only ONE review on Amazon! Help us change that!

There is NO OTHER author/s out there who is doing what the Bros. Krynn are doing, in terms of writing true mythos in its purest form. 

Though Crown is their first official publication, Bros Krynn plan on releasing part two early next year and a full-length novel called Brotherhood of the Gemstone, a “Scottish Lord of the Rings of sorts” (Joseph Chaput).

New LEGENDS are in fact being made!

🦀

Reviews, Sci-Fi

The Hand of God by Yuval Kordov

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THE HAND OF GOD: DARK LEGACIES BOOK 1 by YUVAL KORDOV

Reviewed by

When I consider Book 1 of Dark Legacies, the first words that come to my mind are: professional; competent; pragmatic; cerebral; thought-provoking. This is the type of book I might mention when folks claim that indie fiction is somewhat sloppy, mediocre, and weak. In fact, I would put the writing skills showcased by Kordov against any of the most popular tradpub’s on the market today.

That doesn’t imply that The Hand of God is a perfect sci-fi presentation, but the good FAR outweighs the bad. This is a labor of love that the author has invested years in crafting and perfecting, and that is admirable and inspiring.

 

CONTENTS:

The book is divided into

  • Prologue
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3

Prologue and Part 1 come off as being over-ambitious for no other reason than the fact that they feel too fragmented and confounding. This is where we are first introduced to the character of Esther and the whole narrative is a dissonant amalgamation of thoughts, dreams, visions, and memories relentlessly thrown at a reader over and over again. We see this artistic approach utilized in cinema often, where the  director uses quick cuts to abruptly overlap one scene with the next, as the character goes from awakened state to dreaming to visions, back to awakened state.

This technique doesn’t translate well from screen to prose, and it ends up irritating the senses more than stimulating them. 

 

THE MEAT:

Part 2 and 3 in my honest opinion is where readers will finally get rewarded and find their footing. The introduction of characters like Baptiste, Sophus, and Rebekah really propels the story to next-level awesomeness!  You will learn of a world which has endured not one but two apocalypses, and a city that carries the hope of man’s reconciliation with God. The prose is exquisite, the attention to details impeccable, the characters breathing with depth and humanity. 

HIGH CONCEPT NARRATIVE:

This story is a classic example of high concept narrative. High concept (as opposed to low concept) is never strictly centered around one single main character (i.e. Conan the Barbarian) but it’s rather about a multitude of characters who contribute to the story at some point.

This is in essence “a story about finding faith and finding purpose through suffering, which materializes through the lives of my characters.” (Yuval Kordov)

 

CONCLUSION:

If you want to experience a faith-based epic sci-fi legend of ambitious heights you MUST read The Hand of God. If this ever gets a big screen adaptation we could have the best visual feast since Dune and Stalker! This is a book that gives me hope in the indie sphere of fiction writing moving forward.

Will I read and review Book 2? The real question is, how could I not!

🦀

Editor’s note: Time is running out on the Based Book Sale–stop, shop, and enjoy some non-woke books on the cheap or even free for just a few more hours!

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews, Sci-Fi

Velin: The Rifle’s Song by Black Knight

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Velin – The Lothorian: The Rifle’s Song by Black Knight

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When I first picked up and started reading The Rifle’s Song, which consists of Book 1 of Velin The Lothorian, I couldn’t help but get Star Wars vibes with a ‘Conan the Barbarian” type of main character. This is probably due to the blend of sci-fi and classic fantasy/action that we get to read starting on page 1 and all throughout this book. The author  unsurprisingly credits R. E. Howard’s Conan The Barbarian for his inspiration of this character.

But the comparison to Howard’s classic hero ends right there at the surface.

 

CONAN/VELIN:

The son of farmers in a distant world, Velin grew up learning hard work and how to farm land from his father. After his mother’s death due to illness, at the age of 8 a gang of slavers attacks his village, killing his father in the process and taking young Velin as a slave for hard labor.

And just like Conan, the following years of hard labor and harsh conditions will forge him and prepare him to become the unique warrior he’s destined to become.

After years of captivity Velin earns his freedom by sheer will, acute killer instincts, and physical prowess. When he is taken up by a group of Terran samurais called the ‘Terr’aan Knightly Order’- dedicating their lives to fighting slavery and injustices across the universe-Velin masters the fine arts of combat, thus becoming the perfect killing machine to fight evil and protect the weak.

 

NOBLE INTENTIONS/WEAK EXECUTION: 

Let me emphasize the indisputable fact that the author known as Black Knight is truly an outstanding human being with a noble heart. He understands the concepts of good and evil, of chivalry, of the pure and selfless hero. However where I feel he falls short is in putting it all together, for different reason:

  1. Character Development: all the characters we encounter in this story feel like they need more fleshing out. We know the basic facts about them but they are all very one-dimensional and they function only on one gear.

For example:

“He sought to draw strength not from his bleeding, scorched body, but the hallowed Terr’aan railgun instead.”

I thought it was awkward to have the main character draw strength not from his mother or father, or even his mentors, but from an object, his railgun (??)

2. Prose: I know English is the author’s third language but when we decide to put our book on the market for a price, we should ensure that the editing/proof reading is up to standards. The writer has this tendency to always put the subject last in a sentence which creates awkward structure overall.

          Example:

“Gargling, the dying, terrified beyond measure road bandit, raised his hand.”

 Also there are some word choices that the author overuses like olden instead of ancient, or nigh instead of near, or ‘twas instead of was. 

I understand that indie authors for the most part work a day job and professional editing costs money, but if we feel readers should PAY to read our books, competent editing and presentation are essential.

CONCLUSIONS: 

This is a book very well suited for younger readers who enjoy comic books and are perhaps only now finding out about the beauty of long-format fiction. Children of 10 years and older would absolutely love it. This would make a great gift to those youngsters that we want to introduce to classic pulp. 

I know Black Knight has a big following online who seem to genuinely love his work, so don’t let this review dissuade you from at least sampling his pulp novel.

🦀

Editor’s note: Make sure to stop by the Based Book Sale and find yourself some great reads!

Fantasy, Marketing, Sci-Fi, Speculative

Based Books Be Best! Buy Boatloads, Brah!

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I know, I know: “are the best.” Don’t undervalue my alliterative Ebonics, ese.

The Based Book Sale is back–this time in conjunction with Based Con. I’ve never been to Based Con. I can only guess that it’s like Comicon or Dragon Con (never been to those, either) only without the woketards.

Anyway, the Based Book Sale is where you can find hundreds of books by dozens of non-woke authors, discounted to 99 cents…or FREE. One of those free books will be American Stasi–you should definitely grab your own copy.

This might be the last time I include all my full-length novels in the sale, so get ’em for cheap while you can.

Those full-length novels include Paradox Book Six: Confronting Fate, which caps off my coming of age time travel conspiracy thriller wrapped around football and high adventure. The BBS will have an Amazon link, but it’s also available at the other online book stores, too.

Almost all the paperbacks in the series are published, too. I’m planning an E-Book boxed set, and possibly a hardback edition.

Action, Fantasy, Reviews

The Thief of Eyes by Robert Victor Mills

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Part 6 of a 6-Part Review Series by

“Rhoye grabbed the hideous thing by the scalp, pressing it to the tabletop, whereupon Astropho, grimacing as he did so, dug his fingertips into its eyesocket to pry out its eyeball.”

 

This installment marks the last tale in The Girl with the Fire in Her Hair by Robert Mills. It’s been a great ride and once again Mills, if anything, delighted us with a blend of exquisite prose and classic adventures all throughout the book.

 

PLOT: 

Rhoye and Astropho take it upon themselves to go visit the small town of Augwick, where most of the men have gone missing under strange circumstances. We will learn of how Haralfe, former apprentice of the Loyal Guild of Merchant Magi at the city of Galdurburgh, has become a powerful golenmaster with a corrupt soul and how our heroes, with the help of the local townsfolk, will have to defeat him in order to bring back normalcy to Augwick.

This story will not only exalt the courage and prowess of Rhoye and best friend, but also that of the local residents, ordinary folks placed in extraordinary circumstances.

 

PLAYING IT TOO SAFE?

This is a very fun and entertaining story, BUT I felt that coming from Mr. Mills, it played out too much on the safe side, feeling a bit too ‘formulaic’ at times in its plot development. I know what the author is capable of writing, so perhaps I’m holding him up to higher standards than the average fantasy writer, but this was a point that must be mentioned.

The most positive comment I can give is in regards to how we see all throughout the story an active involvement of ordinary people in extinguishing the evil of the land. Usually in these tropes the hero does all the work, in fact he often warns ordinary folk to get out of the way and stay home. But here there would be no good ending if it wasn’t for a joint effort from all parties involved. Even the small deeds performed by ordinary men and women CAN make a difference!

 

CONCLUSION:

As we wrap up this 6-part series the question instinctively rises: is The Girl with the Fire in Her Hair a better overall collection than Man of Swords?

My answer is NO. And this is not a knock on this latest collection or the author at all. But if we want to be objective, Man of Swords set the bar very high and by comparison, The Girl feels more average, and though remaining a fun read on its own, it is not the best we’ve seen.

The stories unfold within a safer ‘formulaic’ fantasy format more commonly seen in current fiction writing. What distinguishes it is certainly the exquisite prose, and the fact that Mills knows how to put together good action scenes.

Having said all that, I still must recommend this collection to all of you who still care about compelling characters and fantasy realms where it is still possible to escape for a few hours!

🦀