Category Archives: Reviews

Adventure, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

King Solomon’s Mines by Henry R. Haggard

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard

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I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Henry R. Haggard is the best adventure/exploration fiction writer of all time. The reason why he-and so many other authors of the past-excel to such an extent at their craft is because of a number of factors: first and foremost because these individuals did not live in a Google search engine society, but drew inspiration from first-hand experiences. They themselves traveled, explored, went on hiking trips, hunting, fishing, even went outside for walks! All this contributed to building a portfolio of experiences that resonate in the pages they wrote.

Haggard was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform throughout the British Empire and spent many years traveling to those far and exotic places we read in his body of work. Haggard did not just Google search ‘Central Africa’– he spent time in Central  Africa! 

I’m not saying that all authors must travel or become explorers in order to write decent books, but we must admit that those life experiences clearly provide a net inspirational advantage.

 

Haggard writes in KSM: “How we enjoyed those marrow-bones, though it was rather a job to crack them! I know of no greater luxury than giraffe marrow, unless it is elephant’s heart, and we had that on the morrow.” Such a descriptive paragraph can only stem from that first-hand experience we’re discussing here. Very few modern writers can ‘go there’ (pun intended).

WRITING DEVELOPMENT: 

This novel is from 1885 whereas She  is from 1887. In those two years, Haggard’s writing style changed substantially. This earlier work is more straightforward, more action-oriented, and deals less with the metaphysical and the transcendental. If you prefer action/adventure with a taste for lost world narrative, this is IT. You won’t find any other novels from any time period that can match KSM!

 

PLOT:

We find our main character, Allan Quatermain, already advanced in age (50+) when he is recruited by Sir Henry Curtis and his partner, Captain Good, to join a rescue mission to find Henry’s brother who was last seen attempting to find the coveted diamonds allegedly located at King Solomon’s mine in Africa.

What Quatermain can’t predict is that in their voyage, the three men will find themselves stuck in a power struggle among local tribal chiefs, and they will have to pick sides and fight a fight that is not even theirs. But that’s necessary in order to move on with their mission and find Henry’s brother and the diamonds. 

 

A SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE: 

As you read KSM, you might feel tempted to go back and search the original date of publication. Why do I say this? But because the prose, the concepts, the plot lines are so rich, so full of life, so unpredictable at times that we might wonder how this was written when we didn’t have the technology of today! And that is exactly the valid point that raises the question: has modern technology aided in improving not only our writing skills, but also our powers of perception? How these XIX authors viewed the world obviously led to storytelling that is unmatched today. And if they were as closed-minded as we’ve been told, how could they conceive situations and circumstances modern writers can’t even grasp?

 

CONCLUSION:

King Solomon’s Mines is not just adventure pulp fiction, it is a treasure of Western literature. From Indiana Jones to Lara Croft and anything in between pales by comparison, and Allan Quatermain is the quintessential adventurer/hunter who will be immortalized through the ages as a TRUE LEGEND!

🦀

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

Reviewed by

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

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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!

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!

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

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A review by 

I was at first on the fence about whether to upload this review or not. But hindsight I felt like this could serve as a lesson on:

  1. What to do
  2. What not to do 

…as a fiction writer. 

 

Let me first go on record stating that Christopher Buehlman is an objectively GOOD writer. He knows how to build a world with interesting characters and plot lines, at least judging by Between Two Fires, the only book of his I’ve ever read so far.

The issues I found in this book, however, are significant and my suspicion is that these are more a result of the worldview lens Buehlman applies to see the world through, and Christianity in particular.

 

PLOT:

The story catapults us into XIV plague-ridden France where the lives of three seemingly different characters converge under some very special circumstances:

  • Thomas: a former knight with a grudge
  • Delphine: a young orphan girl with strange supernatural gifts
  • Matthieu: a priest with personal secrets

When Thomas saves Delphine’s life, he doesn’t realize that he has also committed his sword to not only protect the young girl but to also aid her in a mysterious mission allegedly imparted by the angels of Heaven themselves. In their journey, Pierre Matthieu, a priest addicted to wine and with same-sex attraction tags along, having nothing else left in his hometown now devastated by the plague.

Their journey will create a strong bond. Working together just out of mere survival, these three main characters start to care for one another genuinely.

HISTORICAL TIME AND PLACE:

What I really appreciated about BTF is how the description of medieval France is well executed.  The towns, rivers, bridges, houses, palaces, all feel accurate. This comes to no surprise since the author majored in History with a minor in French, and it shows. For a guy from Florida, US, to write about period France in such an accurate manner, I couldn’t ask for more verisimilitude, honestly. Well done.

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

NEGATIVE REMARKS:

  1. The author delights in the use of profanity, coarse language, crude jokes, and seems to have some weird obsession with anything related to feces and genitalia.

I understand that some of the characters might not be ‘saints’ (pun intended) but there are ways to communicate certain data to the readers without being so graphic to the point that it seems as though the author actually revels in this excessive graphic language. Reality is that it is NOT essential for plot or character building at all, and it just becomes annoying and ‘cheapens’ the overall quality of the book.

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

2. The author, throughout the story, seems to be taking jabs, albeit subtle, at the Christian faith. Whether this is intentional or the result of general biblical ignorance on behalf of Buehlman, that’s debatable. But he manages to reduce the Christian faith to nothing more than a pagan set of beliefs adept for backward people without a thinking brain.

For example, when Delphine tries to get Thomas to swear less:

 

Delphine “Maybe God would be more generous if you swore less.” 

Thomas “God starves babies sometimes, and they don’t swear at all.”

 

Of course the author can say that this is simply part of the character, but similar examples are found over and over throughout the book. Maybe the author thinks those are clever arguments that would make readers realize how silly Christianity is? Only the author really knows.

But as a reviewer I can tell you that those continuous remarks and innuendos are not helping the book overall, especially when these jabs are always one sided (there are no similar examples aimed at-say- atheists or other religious groups in this story.)

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

CONCLUSION:

Between Two Fires is an excellent story with rich characters and compelling plot lines. The accuracy of depiction of medieval France being devastated by the plague is superb. The prose flaws nicely and it is all very professionally put together.

Unfortunately within it there is too much of that Game of Thrones depraved, nihilistic vibe that taints an otherwise 5-star quality read. Bloated with profanity and unnecessary coarse language, constantly taking jabs at Christianity, singling out the Christian faith as another form of paganism for dimwitted country folk, this book is an amalgamation of peaks and valleys, going back and forth from excellent to cringeworthy. And that’s a shame.

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews, Western

And Hell Followed with Him by Mage Leader

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And Hell Followed With Him: The Circuit of Reverend Sheffield, Volume 1

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“So this is what it takes for you to finally draw your weapon,” he said. “Two dead men and a wife whose world has just been torn asunder. You wear the badge, Sheriff, but it bears no meaning.”

 

It seems ironic how the last couple of novels I reviewed both felt like I was watching a movie more than anything.

And Hell Followed With Him is one of those stories reminiscent of the classic ‘spaghetti westerns’ some of us in the older crowd grew up with. This book checks all the boxes: gunslingers with happy trigger finger, a small town in the clutches of terrible bandits, a good guy and a villain who are as opposite as they are also very alike in nature, a cowardly city mayor, a woman who is as beautiful as is brave in the face of adversities… You get the picture.

 

PLOT:

Civil war vet-turned-preacher Reverend Sheffield finds himself in the role of protector of a small town when he heads to preach the gospel at Pearson’s Hope, and he must use more than Bible verses to get rid of the gangsters who are oppressing the defenseless townsfolk. Of course he doesn’t like to resort to violence but he will, hoping that God will understand and forgive him. Little does he know that the city mayor himself is in cahoots with the leader of the bandits, who turns out to be another war vet who fought side by side with Sheffield himself.

 

TOO SAFE AN APPROACH?

This story can be entertaining and I certainly admire the fact that the author doesn’t mock Christianity or try to make the reader second guess the values and principles upheld in the Bible. Sheffield has made a vow to preach the gospel and I admire that.

Where I think the author fails however is in adopting an overly safe approach to the western genre. So safe indeed, that at times it becomes even too predictable, in my opinion. 

From the opening scene, to the villain, to the secondary characters, it all comes off as an overly choreographed effort.

SO DIFFERENT YET SO ALIKE:

The relationship between good guy and villain follows a very traditional pattern whereas they are both similar in nature: both served in the war, both have natural born killer instincts, both are made to be leaders. However, the way the war affected their outlook on life is where they differ. Though both came out of the war bitter and disgruntled, one turned to the Gospel of Christ while the other decided to use his skills to take whatever he pleases and, in a way, make himself his own god.

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

There are plenty of ‘moments’ that make this book worth reading. The suspense preceding the coordinated attack of the enemy upon the town, the moment Sheffield lets go of all his fears and doubts and just hands it over to the Lord, willing to die with a smile for what is right, even though they are grossly outnumbered… I was on the edge in a few scenes, I must admit!

 

CONCLUSION:

Though Hell Followed Him at times plays it too safe, it offers a revival of all those elements that make for a solid Western drama. Another good story I’d rather read than watch any of the recent summer flicks Hollywood keeps regurgitating to audiences everywhere!

🦀 

Action, Adventure, Historical, Reviews

The Mark of Zorro – A Review

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(1940 Film)

 

I saw this movie on TV as a very young boy and remembered very little about it. I rewatched it recently and, despite its flaws, it is more relevant than ever.

The Universal Scenario:

I don’t know about the recent Zorro productions (for all I know they gender-swapped the character and made the masked kickass grrrlboss fight against “white supremacy” or something–I’m not gonna bother finding out), but otherwise, all the incarnations have a similar backdrop: a tyrannical military-political complex has institutionalized injustice and oppresses both the peons and caballeros alike. Crushing taxes are the usual instrument of oppression, but just as with today’s IRS, the Alcalde of Los Angeles has enough armed goons to murder or imprison anybody who doesn’t bend the knee.

Don Diego de la Vega, son of Alejandro de la Vega, has been sent away to a military academy in Spain where he grew from a boy to a young man–and also the top cadet in his class thanks to his swordsmanship and horsemanship. He gets a letter from his father which compels him to quit the academy before graduation and return to California immediately. He is chapped about not getting his commission, but obeys his father and bids his fellow cadets goodbye.

It isn’t until he reaches California that the reason for his father’s urgent message becomes clear: Don Alejandro has been forced into retirement as Alcalde, and replaced by a cruel, corrupt tyrant. Don Diego grieves for his people. Then when somebody (a priest or monk in some versions) expresses their desire for an avenging angel to intervene, he is inspired. He will disguise himself as El Zorro (the Fox) to play Robin Hood in Los Angeles. The corrupt government will be unable to retaliate against his family, because his true identity is kept secret.

Characters in this Version:

Linda Darnell plays love interest Lolita Quintero, niece of the new Alcalde, who rankles at the injustice her uncle causes. Darnell is one of the quiet beauties of that era, and a good choice for the part.

Linda Darnell and Tyrone Power.

Actor Eugene Pallette reprises his role of Friar Tuck in The Adventures of Robin Hood, only now he is called Fray Felipe and he’s in Los Angeles instead of Nottingham. And he doesn’t fight with a quarter staff. But I think he might wear the same costume.

J. Edward Bromberg plays the new Alcalde as a weak, cowardly Prince John Type. He’s like a mixture of Tim Walz and a less demented Joe Biden–but just as much of a tool. However, he’s not a complete fool.

Capitan Esteban Pasquale is the Alcalde’s egomaniacal muscle, who is really running the show through the petty politician, who he intimidates into compliance. Basil Rathbone really broke his foot off in this role–and with minimal screen time.

Tyrone Power does well as the swashbuckling Zorro, but is perhaps too convincing as the effeminate fop Don Diego pretends to be so as to avoid anyone suspecting him as the masked outlaw.

Character Folly:

Can’t really blame Tyrone Power for this, as I doubt he wrote the script, but he’s a little too foolish to be in the resistance business. It reminds me of the unmasking-in-public fetish so prevalent in the Marvel movies. Within days of donning the guise of the Fox, he begins revealing his secret to everyone but his father (who buys into his son’s metrosexual facade and is ashamed).

First Friar Tuck Fray Felipe is read in on Operation Zorro.

Then Lolita. Simply brilliant, Don Diego. After all, she’s beautiful, which of course means she is morally pure and will be faithful to you until the end of time. Not only that, women never gossip or reveal secrets. At least special women, which you are convinced of beyond any doubt after spending maybe a cumulative hour within her presence.

Don Diego blows his cover spectacularly.

But that’s not nearly careless enough. Don Diego has to pull all the stops out to spread his folly wider and farther. He intentionally blows his cover to Capitan Pasquale and the Alcalde. He kills the former in a sword fight, so I guess that loose end is tied up. But the latter has him arrested and jailed. Great plan, Don Diego.

Zorro Through the Ages:

Tyrone Power was pretty adroit for the role. There are some nice action sequences in The Mark of Zorro  to keep you entertained, but this movie doesn’t hold up as well as I’d hoped.

But then, not many do. I watched the original silent version with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. It proved my attention span has dwindled along with my hearing since I was a young man.

There was a Zorro movie from Spain (or was it Italy?) that made the rounds on network TV back in the day that I enjoyed as a child (“Here’s to being free/Here’s to you and me/La la la la la el Zorro’s back!”) but wasn’t much impressed by when I found it at a public library and watched as an adult.

Out of all the actors who’ve played Zorro over the years, it’s actually Guy Williams I like the best. That’s right–I’m referring to the old Disney series. Williams’ Don Diego was more of a troubadour than a dandy, but he was both believable and admirable in the role. As Zorro, he buckles a swash with the best of them.

Another mark in Disney’s favor is that, though many tried to discover Zorro’s true identity and some came close, Williams’ Don Diego didn’t spill the beans to anybody but his father and their mute servant. In other words, close, trustworthy allies.

What Disney did (back before being handed over to a depraved mind) was preserve the character’s utility for future adventures.

The typical formula (with Zorro’s identity becoming known to all by the end of the story) could be remade, but sequels weren’t much of an option after the public unmasking.

 

CONCLUSION

Zorro is a fantastic character just dying for a mythic treatment. Maybe that’s what some film makers were shooting for. Nobody has quite pulled it off to the extent that would satisfy me as a fan.