Redemption The Last Order by Anirudh Vaishya; A Broken Reflection by Shelly M. Patel

 

Redemption: The Last Order by Anirudh Vaishya 

Redemption: The Last Order is a screenplay that is both cerebral and thrilling. It is equally a mental challenge and adrenaline rush. It would be interesting to see how it resonates as a film for moviegoers who like action military movies and those who like psychological and political thrillers. 

On his first mission PFC John Brandt is the only survivor in a strategic fiasco that ended with the deaths of his crew, a base destroyed in a nuclear standoff, and injuries that put him in a coma for five years. When he awakens, he is informed that he was in a simulation and the memory was one of his lieutenant’s. He’s awake but the rest of his team are still in their comas and his CO has died. His superiors are very interested in how he broke from the simulation and woke up as though his brain is somehow immune to the computer interface that his teammates are still in. Meanwhile, his journalist girlfriend, Amanda, is missing while covering a high profile story in China and war between the US and North Korea seems inevitable because of interference from Su Hyang, a former US ally/informer turned traitor. Weapons threaten to rain down on both sides and one location hits a bit too close to home for Brandt, literally. 

This is a very effective Thriller. The opening is tense as Brandt is faced in a worst case scenario that is meant to have no positive resolution. Every decision is calculated for him to lose which puts him out of his element. It’s an overwhelming and traumatizing experience that plays on many of the fears and anxieties of being in a warzone and knowing that every decision that one makes could be their last. 

That this is a simulation offers no comfort. In a way, it is very similar to The Manchurian Candidate or other films that play on the plan of brainwashing military personnel. They study the fears and anxieties and don’t have any considerations about what it might do to the participants. It is a microcosm of the concept of war itself in which people in the higher echelons send those in the lower to fight and die, testing their resolve, physical endurance, intellect, adaptability, strategy, and survival instincts. They send them to die and consider the results either unfortunate mistakes, acceptable losses, or satisfactory when more on the other side are killed.

Brandt’s relationship with other characters flesh out his personality. While there are many characters such as his mother, friends, and colleagues who awaken Brandt’s protective nature, there are two in particular that serve as counterpoints to Brandt’s journey. The first is Amanda. Sometimes romances are a distraction or an unnecessary subplot in the genre but in this specific case and context it works. 

Amanda is just as dedicated to her journalism career as Brandt is to his military career. Their encounters are not a passionate romance between lovers but a partnership of equals who use their different talents to report the truth and protect the people doing so. Their relationship is a realistic coupling of people in high risk stressful situations. They gravitate towards each other as an emotional release so when things are settled, they have a hard time functioning with the day to day dilemmas and conflicts like where are they going to live or what their future plans are. 

The other emotional counterpoint is Brandt’s father, Charles. He seems like a quiet unassuming guy but we later learn that he is more involved than he lets on. In an extended flashback, one of the highlights of the script, we learn Charles’ backstory and his close connection to the current events. We see him as a young inexperienced brilliant student and his allyship with another character. We also see how these past decisions shaped his son’s future and those of other key players. The tragedy is human error caused this situation. Things were done and said at the wrong time,place, and circumstances. Decisions were made that only peripherally involved the lead characters but led to distrust, suspicion, and a lifetime of rage, despair, revenge, and compliance. 

Redemption: The Last Order is the kind of screenplay that keeps you at the edge of your seat but makes you think about what you just observed. It says a lot about patriotism, free will, mind control, domination, propaganda, and what it really means to fight, die, and live for your country.

A Broken Reflection by Shelly M. Patel 

This is a shorter adaptation of this review, the full review can be seen on LitPick. 

A Broken Reflection presents an absorbing investigation with multiple viewpoints and leads but ends with a resolution that is disappointing, overdone, and does very little to make this variation unique or stand out from others.

Claire and Stephen seem to have an idyllic affluent married suburban life but it's all surface. There are cracks in their home life that are becoming more evident. Stephen has had many extramarital affairs and Claire is being seen by many colleagues and acquaintances as unstable and temperamental. Stephen’s infidelities and Claire's characteristics become more evident when a woman known to the couple has been found murdered. Claire is seen as a primary suspect especially when it turns out that the deceased woman was Stephen’s mistress. As bodies pile up, evidence gathers, and Claire and Stephen become more suspicious towards each other, Claire conducts her own investigation to clear her name. Meanwhile a very devious pair observe the events with their own agendas. Jessica has a dangerous fixation for Stephen and Cole is stalking the object of his affection: Claire.

There are some engaging bits, particularly as the characters are introduced and the investigation consumes them. Since the book is told from multiple viewpoints starting with Claire's, we already see the imperfections but not outright. Our sympathies move back and forth between Claire and Stephen depicting one another as abuser and victim, innocent and guilty. This causes the Reader discomfort and suspicion as we search for the real answers.

We peer into the points of view from various characters and we experience quite a few obsessions and potential motives. No one in this book comes off particularly well or likable. When the murders occur, it's not necessarily a question of whodunnit and is more who wouldn't do it?

By far the two most intriguing characters are Jessica and Cole. It says something in a cast of unstable dangerous people, that these two are the worst. Jessica is conniving and manipulative in her approach while Cole is more immature, having an almost adolescent crush on Claire. They take different pursuits towards the objects of their affections. These two are not a mentally well duo.

Unfortunately as interesting as the investigation is, the resolution is every bit as disappointing. Because of spoilers, it won't be revealed but let's just say that it's a cliche that is often found in soap operas and Psychological Thriller.There is a final twist that salvages the reveal somewhat, but it undermines what had been revealed so far and could have done with it. 

The ending of A Broken Reflection shatters what would have been a clear image of a good suspense novel into pieces.

February-March's Reading List

 

It was late but I managed to complete last month's list. 

I am splitting this list into two months for a few reasons. Partly because of the late start and short month. Most importantly, is that I might be working on other non-blog related projects and I want to make sure that I have time for them as well as reading and reviewing. So February will have 5-7 reviews and March will have the others either split into two groups of 5 then 4 books or one group of 7.

Memories of MK Ultra by Bill Yarborough 

Redemption The Last Order by Anirudh Vaishya

Tangles by Kay Smith Blum

Girls, Crimes, and The Ruling Body by Barry Ziman

German But Not German by J.C. Berger

A Broken Reflection by Shelly M. Patel*

Shadow Runner by J.K. Fieler

The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper 

The Slither Queen by Tamera Lawrence 

The Towpath by Jonathan Walter

Lunch Ladies by Jodi Thompson Carr

The Gift (Book 2 in The Others Trilogy) by Evette Davis 

Weight of a Woman by Judith Jackson Pomeroy 

Chomp, Press, Pull by Elaina Battista-Parsons

Mantis Equilibrium (Book 2 of The Mantis Gland) By Andrew Adams Johnson

Folded Steel (The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series Book 3) by G. Russell Gaynor 

Blunt Force Rising (An Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mystery Book 4) by Russ Colchamiro 

Reaping By Numbers: A Dead End Job by Nicole Givens Kurtz

If you have a book that you would like me to review, beta read, edit, proofread, or write, please contact me at the following:

Bluesky

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Email: juliesaraporter@gmail.com 

Prices are as follows (subjected to change depending on size and scope of the project):

Beta Read: $35.00-50.00

Review: $35-50.00**

Copy/Content Edit: $75-300.00

Proofread: $75-300.00

Research & Citation: $100-400.00

Ghostwrite/Co-Write:$100-400.00

*These are books reviewed for LitPick and will only feature a summary and a few paragraphs. The full review is on LitPick's site.

**Exceptions are books provided by Henry Roi PR, Coffee and Thorn Book Group, LitPicks, BookTasters, Reedsy Discovery, Voracious Readers, and other noted book groups. Payments are already arranged through groups like Michael Cheng and Books Validator.

Payments can be made to my PayPal, Payoneer, or Google Wallet accounts at juliesaraporter@gmail.com

Well that's it. Thanks and as always, Happy Reading.

 

Return of the Weird #2: Merchants of Light and Bone (The Pentagonal Dimensions Book 2) by Erika McCorkle; A Family Drama From Another Dimension

 

Return of the Weird #2: Merchants of Light and Bone (The Pentagonal Dimensions Book 2) by Erika McCorkle; A Family Drama From Another Dimension 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: So we come to the next weird book continuation, the next installment in Erika McCorkle’s Pentagonal Dominion series: one of the strangest Fantasy/Science Fiction worlds put into book form, a world where few humans or humanoid characters exist so McCorkle was free to let her imagination run wild and wild it ran.

The first book, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic, is about Calinthe Erytrichos, a reptilian Merchant of Knowledge, and Zakuro “Pom” Rathmusen, a Godblood, demi-god and Merchant of Magic. The duo encounter many patrons, assignments, estranged family members, and totalitarian governments as they affirm their love for each other. While the Epic Fantasy/Science Fiction setting and world building was important, at heart Merchants of Knowledge and Magic was a Road Trip Comedy-Drama/Queer Romance set in a world of living gods and anthropomorphic people.

That's what is at play with its successor, Merchants of Light and Bone. It's not a direct sequel so much as it takes place in the same universe as Merchants of Knowledge and Magic. Besides one reference to Zakuro’s family name, those characters are not featured or mentioned. 

Instead this book focuses on The Last-Scrim-Den Family of Aloutia. They consist of Amiere Lasteran, his wife, Liesle Denwall and husband, Su Scrimshander (yes they are a throuple), and their seven children. They and their children are in mourning for their deceased daughter and sister, Tawny. They also have to deal with local bully Militico Svelt whose daughter, Usana Demiu, might be getting abused. Amiere, the eponymous Merchant of Light, notices that his crystal light business is expanding and going through some troublesome changes. Su, the Merchant of Bone and a Godblood, is keeping secrets about his history, gender identity, and divine ancestry. Meanwhile, Liesle, the Merchant of Faces, goes through extreme measures to protect those that she loves including her children and spouses. 

The approach to this book is similar to Merchants of Knowledge and Magic which is a Queer Romance set in a Fantasy/Science Fiction World. It is also similar to another previous favorite book of mine, To End Every War by Raymond W. Wilkinson which was a Feminist Women's Fiction Novel set in an Epic Fantasy Occult Academia world of Dwarves, Elves, Selkies, Fairies, Giants and others. Both novels put the prosaic and ordinary plots of regular people and dropped them into fantastic settings that turned the ordinary events into extraordinary circumstances.

Whereas the focus in most Epic Fantasy or Science Fiction novels is on quests or revolution, the majority of plots in this book like the death of a child, abuse, employment concerns, and spouse's hidden lives would not be out of place in a Family Drama. It's sort of like what would happen if The Waltons, or The Dunphys from Modern Family suddenly grew fur, sprouted wings, and gained electrolyte tails. After all, it happens. 

This book is comparable to other Fantasy novels when heroes go on epic journeys, spend a night in an inn, and the innkeeper rants about his marital problems or the dictatorial government is cutting into his business. Well Merchants of Light and Bone would be about that innkeeper and how he tries to live an everyday life in a world where magic exists and characters aren't human.

In fact the one journey narrative where characters go from one place to another has the more personal goal of saving a couple of children from slavery rather than a quest to save the entire world. 

There are some magical moments to remind Readers of the fantastic world that they are in. Su goes through a mesmerizing ritual where he communicates in person with a Water God. Liesle has conversations with a dark demon. Amiere is inflicted with a curse that when angered opens his more leonine side. But those are brief moments in a novel that captures the human, or human in personality though not in appearance, spirit.

The family goes through intense grief after Tawny’s death. They respond in different ways. One child, Kohaku, withdraws into her own private world. Others become more belligerent and quarrelsome. Liesle becomes physically ill and bedridden. Amiere tries to retain a brave front but can barely suppress his darker feelings. Su is the solid rock for the rest of the family but his vulnerabilities are present. The familial reaction to grief and how realistically McCorkle writes it would not be out of place in a traditional Earthling series. That the family has animalistic characteristics is almost immaterial.

Besides the grief, abuse is an ongoing theme within the book particularly in the story of Militico and Usana. Liesle and Amiere have to contend with the fact that Militico, a former childhood friend, has taken a darker, more violent turn as an adult. They have their suspicions that the caprine Militico is abusing his adorable leporine daughter. They recognize that the signs are there but as in the world of the Readers, it's not an easy thing to prove or stop. In many heart tugging moments Usana bonds with Su, himself a child trafficking and abuse survivor. The resolution leans to the fantastic elements but when removed from that angle, the real subtext brings up questions about self-defense, justice, and protecting the innocents at all costs.

The personal conflicts and struggles intermingle with the fantasy world in unique ways. Amiere’s occupation getting overtaken by bureaucrats who care more about the bottom line and getting rich than they do about the people working there is highly relevant even if the crystals are remnants of the gods. Liesle’s desire for vengeance and spell to protect her loved ones might be a magical solution, but it could also be seen as a metaphor for trauma survivors and how the trauma comes on them like a demonic figure. The trauma can be ignored, faced, or the survivor could attack the person who caused the trauma. 

Even the questions about Su’s origins carry a lot of resonance. Liesle and Amiere love their husband as he is and formally respect his privacy but still they are curious. They observe him and pick up clues about his powers to learn who his divine parentage actually are. Even though Su identifies as male and currently uses “he/him” pronouns, there are suggestions that this wasn't always the case so even his gender identity is a question. As much as he is a sweet, even tempered nurturing third parent to the children and loving spouse to his husband and wife, Su’s identity is a mystery that neither Amiere nor Liesle can entirely avoid. In a world where people’s identities are precious and are currently being held under scrutiny because of recent executive orders, the questions and acceptance of Su’s identity is very relatable to some Readers.

Merchants of Light and Bone tells Readers that even in a Fantasy or Science Fiction novel populated with non-humans, human Readers can still recognize the relatable struggles that are similar to their own.

Return of the Weird #1: The Penny Arcade Mother's Care Orphanage by David Neuman; Kaleidoscopic Shades Strangeness Continues With Some Clarity

 

Return of the Weird #1: The Penny Arcade Mother's Care Orphanage by David Neuman; Kaleidoscopic Shades Strangeness Continues With Some Clarity

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: For this and the next review, I am returning to the continuation of two of the strangest weirdest books that I read since beginning this blog, two books that were my favorites from 2022 in fact: Kaleidoscopic Shades Within Black Eternity by David Neuman and The Merchants of Knowledge and Magic(The Pentagonal Dominion Book 1) by Erika McCorkle. Both were bizarre, weird, eccentric, and unforgettable. Returning to those worlds with their sequels, Penny Arcade Mother's Care Orphanage for the former and The Merchants of Light and Bone in the latter could lead to more weirdness or more clarity. By and large they streamline the series by limiting the perspectives and giving some concrete and important information and exposition to make the series well slightly more comprehensible but still retaining their mystifying, unearthly, uncanniness.

In Kaleidoscopic Shades Within Black Eternity, a series of strange bizarre events occur particularly around the home of Bob and Susan Triplow and their son, Joshua. These seemingly random bizarre occurrences like people appearing and disappearing, a strange man haunting various children's dreams at once, balloons appearing in the sky, and the sound of disembodied bells were tied to Bob’s traumatic childhood growing up in a sinister orphanage with a history of abuse and neglect. He and Joshua traveled to Bob's childhood home of Kapunda, Australia and the Mother's Care Orphanage where he grew up and face some demonic forces and childhood fears that never really disappeared as he grew older. 

The sequel, Penny Arcade Mother's Care Orphanage is set three years later and things are far from settled. A new series of strange unearthly events are happening. However, instead of going global and affecting random parts of the world as before, they are mostly contained within the towns of Corona, California and Kapunda. This keeps this volume more self-contained and streamlined but also takes out the mystery and overall bizarre nature of its predecessor. It also makes the plot a bit easier to follow and understand though there still are plenty of frightening moments that make the Reader wonder what they just read and afraid to continue reading to find out.

Ralph Shaw, a young boy, disappears in a mysterious area in Kapunda called “The Playground.” A group of teens encounter a ghost car in which one teen later discovers is very similar to one in a photograph from almost 100 years ago, a photograph with a very disturbing message written on it. Constable Benjamine “Ben” McLevy’s investigation into these matters put her up close and personal with disturbing sounds and images. Meanwhile in California, Joshua Triplow is grieving for his missing friend, Sammy Debnar who disappeared in the previous book. He still feels Sammy's presence including having frightening audio and visual visions of and about him. Perhaps another trip to Australia is in order.

What Penny Arcade lacks in mystery and ominous energy when the scope is widened all over the world, it makes up for immediate urgency and personal connections to these strange events. The scary moments are plentiful but not as random as they were in the previous book. 

Many of the moments like the ghost car and the disappearance focus on the mental and physical torture of children. They center around the old orphanage and its former staff and residents and the terrifying moments are a reflection of the hatred and trauma that endured in the past. It even spreads to those who weren't there but are directly involved in protecting or investigating them like Ben. 

If there are sacred spaces which are filled with spiritual enlightenment and meaning, then The Playground is the exact opposite. The space inspires feelings of fear, anxiety, loneliness, and trauma. It is practically festered with a violent history which affected the entire environment. It's practically a gateway to Hell where if you don't lose your life, you are certain to lose your mind. It's a chilling setting just in thought let alone in action.

The presences that haunt this area and are responsible hover between the demonic and fanciful and the human and the painful realistic. One of those is a spirit that takes many forms and haunts people through various means like visions and whispers. Some of its more graphic moments are when it tortures the disappeared victims like Sammy and Ralph. Its most sadistic form is that of a grotesque jester that laughs at the pain that it inflicts on the young boys. It's also capable of changing shape and manipulating others for the added psychological and emotional torture. 

This creature is very similar to the Strange Man who haunted children's dreams in the previous book though clearly takes on a more active persona. Whereas the Strange Man was an observer who watched children, did not move or interact with them but still left an ominous eerie presence, the Jester is more hands-on. He gleefully tortures and abuses his targets, mocks people in their heads, and laughs at his unbridled cruelty. It is similar to other clown-like villains like The Joker or Pennywise but unlike the former who is human but psychotic, and the latter who is hampered by a chronological deadline to appear every 27 years, The Jester has those tendencies and all of the time in the world to use them.

The other sinister presence is found in a human being, Anthea who worked at the former orphanage. She has a history of abusing the orphans that were once in her care.

We are given something of her backstory that thankfully does not absolve her though it does provide some clarity and understanding towards the events in both books. In fact her history makes her actions appear worse. 

Since the previous book, Anthea’s rage affected her mentally and physically. She boils over with dreams of revenge that have taken a toll on her body. She becomes an ugly person in appearance and personality. Her hatred and abusive nature become the nucleus in which the strange supernatural events were formed. The land becomes the living embodiment of the pain that she once inflicted on innocent children and now inflicts upon herself. Though they are on opposite sides of human and supernatural, Anthea and The Jester are mirror parallel images consumed with the desire to hurt others and are collaborators in spreading pain in their own way.

Despite being an important character, the primary protagonist, in the previous book, Bob is mostly absent from Penny Arcade. Much of the main character energy is instead provided by Ben and Josh.

Ben is the standard cop protagonist found in these types of novels, tenacious, courageous, kind hearted, observant, and skeptical until they are face to face with the bizarre. Ben’s evolution through the book is that of someone who is confident in her career and the investigation process but is out of her element when encountering something inhuman, something that by nature cannot follow human standards and resists being caught or contained. It's always there and will always be there.

Since Bob takes a minor role, his son Josh inherits his Protagonist Genes and does a pretty good job. When he is haunted by memories of Sammy, he decides to enter a student exchange program to study in Australia with his friend, and potentially more, Ethan. 

Josh is experienced with this supernatural activity to the point that he acts like a jaded veteran with hard won wisdom and massive PTSD. His return to Australia is not just a rescue mission for Sammy, it's a chance to gain some closure for what happened to him last time.

Penny Arcade Mother's Care Orphanage brings some reason and logic albeit illogical logic, towards Kaleidoscopic Shades Within Black Eternity. It isn't necessarily better than its predecessor, but it clears up the events in both books and makes them understandable. 

 

Sinister Ascension by Marc L. Abbott; School Spirit (and Vampires and Mediums)

 

Sinister Ascension by Marc L. Abbott; School Spirit (And Vampires and Mediums) 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: Sinister Ascension Marc L. Abbott’s graphic eldritch Supernatural Horror novel involves a coven of vampires that infiltrate a University and interfere with mortal’s lives for their goals.

Todd, a mysterious handsome charismatic newcomer enrolls in Bruckner University and catches the eye of Kim Morris. She is in a tempestuous relationship with her boyfriend, Eric Tucker which Todd takes full advantage of. However, Todd's not just there to be the third point in a love triangle. He's a vampire with a secret plan for “ascension” and needs a mate. He has many who oppose him including his fellow vampires and coven mates, Kevin and Zeborah, Eric, Dayton Conner, Eric's best friend, and Carmen Guerra, Kim’s roommate. Carmen actually has a secret weapon. She's a medium whose grandmother taught her how to communicate with ghosts and read the minds of otherworldly creatures.

Sinister Ascension has all of the usual earmarks of a decent Supernatural Horror: spiritual encounters, horrific monsters that are beyond description, love triangles gone fatal, and a confrontation between a sinister otherworldly creature with unbelievable abilities and a courageous worried human, often the Female Survivor/Final Girl, also with unbelievable abilities. There technically isn't anything new with what is done with the material, but it is an engaging ride with its ominous moments and genuine suspense.

Todd is a presence that alternates between charming and chilling. There are moments where he plays the role of the sympathetic potential boyfriend to the hilt, maneuvering Kim and Eric’s relationship in his favor. They have personality conflicts about missed dates, spending more time with friends, and mixed signals. These are often minor moments that create tension with any couples, but Todd is a master manipulator. He exaggerates Eric's flaws, builds up his own virtues, and plays on Kim's insecurities and sexual longings. 

Todd almost doesn't need supernatural abilities because he makes for a very effective manipulator and potential abuser. But he is a vampire and is capable of various powers like shapeshifting, hypnosis, and telepathy. As a 21st century vampire, he updates his technique. He spends a lot of time in labs breeding leeches and a subservient fellow vampire to extract the mortal blood. He goes through an eerie metamorphosis that strips away the handsome manipulative exterior to reveal the monster that had been lurking underneath.

The characters that fight against Todd are effective, particularly his rival vampires and Carmen. Kevin and Zeborah hover between being as antagonistic as Todd and justifiable in their fights against him. Kevin takes a more pragmatic approach towards humanity and Todd's fanatic megalomaniacal ambitions run counter to that. Even though he was willing to work alongside Todd on behalf of their coven previously, Kevin realizes that his colleague has gone too far and sides with the humans, specifically Carmen, against Todd. 

Zeborah also has his reasons to side against Todd. There are spoilers involved, but let's say his reasons are more emotional. He still has a soul despite his vampiric tendencies and is also tired of following Todd's orders especially when they led to much previous destruction. His journey towards atonement is one of the strongest aspects of this book.

By far Todd's strongest opponent and the primary protagonist is Carmen. She is beginning college just as she is discovering and developing her powers. Her conversations with her grandmother often consist of her asking questions about these growing powers that she doesn't understand and can't always control. Her abuela gives plenty of heartfelt advice born from a lifetime of using otherworldly talent in an ordinary world. 

Carmen's powers manifest themselves in different ways. Her encounters with ghosts are so mundane that she at first believes that she's talking to actual human students until something gives them away, usually when someone else does not see whom she is talking to. There is such an eerie chapter in which she talks to someone revealed to be a ghost during a stressful shocking night. 

Carmen also has the ability of sharing thoughts with some supernatural creatures most prominently Kevin. This skill allows these two unlikely allies to be on the same page as Carmen tries to protect Kim from Todd and Kevin fights against his one-time coven mate. 

With the ghostly encounters, telepathic conversations with vampires, and the migraines that often precede the use of her powers, Carmen is often on edge. Her abilities are amazing but they are clearly not a pleasant experience. They bring physical pain, mental confusion, and emotional loneliness when she can't tell anyone about them. Carmen recognizes the pain and discomfort but also realizes that it is a calling to help those in trouble particularly her friend and ultimately everyone around her.

Sinister Ascension is a worthy addition to any Supernatural Horror book collection. It has a lot of depth, scares, and plenty of spirit.

The Wallace House of Pain by S.M. Stevens; Muted Rage (The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series Book 2) by G. Russell Gaynor; In Search of Cognizance by Nabraj Lama

The Wallace House of Pain by S.M. Stevens

One of the best books that I read last year was Beautiful and Terrible Things by S.M. Stevens. It was a witty and insightful character study about a group of six friends: Charley, a bookseller, Xander, a political activist, Jessica, a financial analyst, Sunny, a solar energy systems sales associate, Terrence, Xander's fellow activist, and Buwan, an artist. The novel covers a period of several months where the friends face various personal internal conflicts, such as new romances, family drama,and shifting careers, and political external conflicts such as racial profiling, immigrant xenophobia, and income inequality. It's a wide reaching novel that covers various topics but also brilliantly captures its six protagonist’s traits, characteristics, and eccentricities that make them stand out as individuals and part of a group.

Stevens reentered that universe with the short novel, The Wallace House of Pain. Instead of an expansive novel about many things and having six leads, this one is shorter and more intimate focusing solely on one character. 

This time the lead is Xander Wallace himself. The short novel covers six chapters in which Xander brings each friend to his Conservative parent's house for dinner. The contrast between the fiery opinionated Xander, his rigid uncompromising father, Jim, his placid demure stepmother, Kathy, and his iconoclastic diverse friends is quite apparent.

Since this story is more compact, we get a closer look at Xander's background and experiences and how they contributed to his lifestyle and decisions in the novel. He is someone who saw a lot of artifice and superficiality. A home with plenty of affluent creature comforts but an inability to live his truth. He loves his parents and vice versa, but feels like he has to play a role for them.

 Xander can't discuss his work in any meaningful way. While he voices his political opinions, it can be very draining as he, and his parents especially his father, talk circles around each other never coming to an even ground. Xander has to hide his bisexuality, his political involvement, and even his name (His friends call him, “Xander” while his parents call him, “Alex”). Xander can't be his authentic self as he hides parts of himself from his family.

Much of Xander's real self is revealed by the family’s conversations with his friends. Terrence connects to his commitment to political activism. Sunny represents Xander's sexuality and gender identity. Jessica is indicative of the passion and talent that leads to finding a gainful career. Charley reflects his emotional and social connections with others. Buwan reveals Xander's self-expression and creative thinking as he uses his activism to shape the world into a better, more idealistic place with actual racial harmony and equality. 

Through the short novel, the larger aspects of Beautiful and Terrible Things are referred to particularly a Black Lives Matter protest that is a central climax in the previous novel. Xander's friends and his real self can no longer be denied as he reveals the real him to his father and stepmother, bisexual Liberal environmental social activist and all. He is able to be the open honest authentic person that we saw in the novel and be that person to his family.

The Wallace House of Pain is a small thread in the tapestry of the larger work but a very important one.

 

Muted Rage (The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series Book 2) by G. Russell Gaynor 

In The Blind Smith, the first book in G. Russell Gaynor’s The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series, tech billionaire genius John James “J.J.” Moore is severely wounded and rendered blind in an attack that kills his security team and his lover. He is recruited by a secret organization of spies and assassins and obtains the code name, “Augur.” He is able to use his new found abilities and organization to seek vengeance upon his enemies, including traitors to the organization.

The second volume, Muted Rage, elevates J.J.’s status significantly within the organization. Instead of being the rookie student, J.J. is now actively recruiting and training new members. His latest recruit is Sonya Bocharova, a Russian deaf woman. He sees a lot of himself in her. Her arrival can't come at a better or worse time because their enemies are closing in and ramping up their attacks.

This volume focuses primarily on action and plot which works well in the Political Spy Thriller subgenre. Sometimes the various characters and sides are disconcerting because it's hard to tell who is with which organization. Readers and characters are conditioned to be on the lookout for traitors and double crosses so just because someone seems on one side doesn't mean that they are going to stay that way. Sometimes it's a surprise twist but mostly because everyone is so suspicious, have ulterior motives, and live in worlds of morally gray, it's to be expected. Betrayal is the most logical step in their development.

The action also serves as a means for the various sides to show off their intellect. In the first book,  J.J., was playing 3-D chess while everyone else is playing checkers. In this book, everyone else is playing the same game of chess. Every character, including J.J., is trying to outfight and outsmart each other. As one organization gets an advantage, the next one fires back and so on. It keeps the Readers invested with its suspenseful tone.

While action is the primary facet to this book, there is some time for insightful characterization particularly in J.J.’s evolution from fresh newbie to hardened veteran. He was always somewhat arrogant in the previous book, though he had moments where his naivete was noticeable. There were also times when his conceit cost him dearly.

In this volume, J.J.’s character ascends to frightening levels. His Authoritarian streak is more paramount. Now that he is leader, his leadership style is iron will. In one chapter, one of J.J.’s colleagues calls him out on his personality and J.J. answers in a way that suggests that he is unapologetic and will only get worse. It raises the possibility whether in a future volume, characters may be driven to stop John James Moore rather than work with or for him.

So far though, J.J. still shows some glimmers of kindness. This is particularly noticeable in his dialogue with Sonya. They have a great deal in common, both have disabilities that they have or are in the process of using to their advantage as assassins. They both carry a lot of grief and anger.

 J.J. is at the point where he can guide someone else to channel that anger and put it to good use and Sonya sees a higher opportunity to protect others and unleash vengeance. With the help of sign language and technology that allows them to communicate, the two come to an understanding and partnership, perhaps even a friendship or more.

The action and lead characters help Muted Rage act on many of the things that were hinted at in the first volume. It prepares and keeps Readers in suspense ready for the next one.

In Search of Cognizance by Nabraj Lama 

It has been my pleasure to work with Nabraj Lama on his book, In Search of Cognizance. It is an evocative and insightful travel book about journeying to find a practical and spiritual path.

After a period of stress, frustration, and unanswered questions, Lama received a position from The Sacred Himalaya Initiative: Sacred Landscapes and Sustainable Futures. The project focused on studying and documenting the relationships between ecology and religion focusing on sacred spaces like Mount Kailash, a place that he studied on his own. The urge to travel to the Tibetan mountain consumed him so he decided to visit it. Lama had two objectives for the journey: to complete the project assignment and pursue a personal quest for spirituality. He describes this trip as one of “self-discovery and growth, as well as an exploration of the interconnectedness between humanity, nature, and the divine.”

This book is both rich in sensory detail and deep in spiritual meaning. It fills the senses with physical descriptions of the landscape and soothes the brain and emotions with its themes of connecting the physical plane with the spiritual. 

Lama’s gift for description is noticeable as he recounts the various settings before him. For example, he referred to Humla as “a hidden gem within the Himalayas (that) boasts breathtaking natural beauty, ecological diversity, and a rich cultural tapestry…a living testament to nature and culture.”

“With its towering green cliffs, cascading waterfalls, bountiful herbs, swift rivers, mesmerizing landscapes, and dense forests, Humla is truly remarkable,” Lama wrote.

The places that Lama and his companions visited were indicative of the countries and the people. One of the places that they visited was Dharipuri, a fish-shaped rock that according to legend were once a pair of real fish that transformed into rocks. When Lama observed the rock, he was struck between the obvious difference in the Tibetan and Hindu communities and the contrast of the downstream where fish were present and upstream where they were not. “The reasons behind the cultural and ecological divide remain elusive, but the fish-shaped rocks will forever stand as a testament to the mysteries of the region,” he said.

Besides places, Lama is adept at recounting the people that he encountered on his journey. His traveling companions, local villagers, officials, and hospitality workers are richly characterized. Among them was Ram Bhakta Sunar, a luggage handler. He owned three mules that carried tourist's luggage from one point to another. He cared for them so they provided for his family. During the off season, Ram let them run free in the forest and only retrieved them for work. He had goals such as wanting to get married at age 19 and one day have a family. Learning about Ram gave Lama some insight to what life was like for villagers, especially the ones that were dependent on tourism and the local environment to survive.

During the trip, Lama and his colleagues witness local concerns such as conservation, poverty, and the pinch of authoritarianism. Nowhere is this more prevalent than when they entered TAR, China. The travelers were ordered not to carry any items related to the Dalai Lama, wander off, enter, or take photographs of anything that they weren't allowed to. They were forbidden from bringing notebooks, books, cell phones, or other controversial items. It's a stark reminder that when traveling to other countries, one must be aware of the land around them and be careful when observing laws and regulations. 

The places that they visited reflected the local culture and folklore. Among those are the sacred lakes, Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal. Rakshas Tal is called the Lake of Demons and its black waters invited legends and stories that it was once frequented by demons. Manasarovar is considered sacred waters and is revered by various religions. It is believed that the waters purify the souls of those who bathed within it. 

The two lakes show the transformative power between the physical and spiritual world, that folklore is often used to describe nature and nature is often used to augment local lore.

Like many long travels, Lama writes about the problems which can occur. There was physical pain experienced by Lama and other travelers (particularly one woman who had menstrual pain while climbing a steep path). There were times where the groups separated and couldn't find each other for awhile. Of course there were times of complications like getting lost, missing a hostel, personality conflicts and all of the usual problems associated with travel. 

One of the most meaningful complications which led to some important lessons occurred while walking along the Dolma La Pass. It was a narrow but crowded path where travelers, locals, and animals teemed along the path. Lama opted to take small steps and opted for shortcuts rather than get in people's way. He was happy to see people helping each other, guiding, or pulling one another down the path.

 Lama himself decided to go through great effort on the path. He crawled through a narrow passageway to test his karma. He finally reached Mt. Kailash Kora to pay his respects, meditated, sang, and shared camaraderie with his companions and other visitors. The struggle of going through the pass was just as important as the destination of Mt. Kailash Kora. Lama said that the kora stands “as a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and our unwavering pursuit of personal growth and self-realization.”

The trip was one where Lama wanted to seek spiritual fulfillment. His journey to Mt. Kailash gave him more than that. He wrote that he gained fulfillment and enrichment from this journey. 

Lama had “a newfound sense of serenity and inner peace, reflecting on the transformative experiences encountered along the way,” he said. “…The return journey transcended the physical realm, evolving into a deeply introspective and emotional endeavor… I realized that this voyage had left an indomitable mark on my soul, forever changing perspective on life, spirituality, and the power of nature.”

The journey allowed Lama to confront his fears and anxieties.He recognized kindness, respect, gratitude and selflessness that transformed his life and those around him. He recognized the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and the divine. The experience gave him a stronger sense of purpose and spirit which he continues to share as a Research Scholar at Lumbini Buddhist University, and his articles and books on spiritual and cultural topics.

Lama's book shows Readers that the natural world can be the key for one to reconnect to the metaphysical world and to achieve mental, emotional, and spiritual clarity and peace.

The Emissary (The Selalian Chronicles Volume 1) by Peter Krausche; Immersive Science Fiction Puzzles and Enchants with Immense Plot, Superlative Characters, and Visceral Setting

 The Emissary (The Selalian Chronicles Volume 1) by Peter Krausche; Immersive Science Fiction Puzzles and Enchants with Immense Plot, Superlative Characters, and Visceral Setting 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: I know this is going to be a good year book wise (I can't speak for any other reason though, especially Presidential wise). But it will be a good book year when I have already found a candidate for the Best Book of 2025. Peter Krausche’s The Emissary first book in The Selalian Chronicles.

This book has everything that I love in a Science Fiction novel dialed up to eleven. An immersive visceral detailed setting. A wide spread plot that covers various situations, worlds, and time periods. Some puzzling points that hint at future revelations and hold the Reader's interest. A large cast of multifaceted deep characters. Strong themes that are relevant to their society and our own.

The book begins with a long prologue about Philip Brannon, the head of a religious order called The Selalian Society. He recounts a romance and short marriage with a mysterious beguiling woman, Silana who introduced him to her unique views.

This prologue is a self-contained story into itself which could be a separate novella. There are hints of a connection to the main plot but so far they are not expressly stated. It lends itself to speculation about its involvement in the overall book leading us to make our own speculations. It is also a nice romantic story of two very different people that shake up each other's worlds and make them think about things that they previously hadn't. 

Silana sees beyond her people's arrogance and prejudice to understand human concepts like love, devotion, and basic empathy. Phillip opens himself to deeper concepts of spiritual consciousness and universal connections. Silana settles into a marriage with Phillip and Phillip transcribes an account of her otherworldly origins. The events of the novel proper is the account.

The majority of the book is set on the planet Piral after an event called The Galactic Diaspora. Some strange ominous occasions that herald trouble are on the horizon. There are rumors that the Millennial Peace is coming to an end and greedy opportunistic monarchs want to stretch their rule to other kingdoms. The women of the spiritual Selalian Order are in disarray after the mysterious death of their High Priestess and a young inexperienced one was installed in her place. Catyana, a future acolyte for the Order, has frightening potentially prophetic dreams. There are a group of enchantresses with murderous violent intent who are responsible for mysterious deaths and misfortune. An amnesiac stranger, named Vilam Tavisan, arrives and befriends a small circle of women, notably Catyana and Nova, a woman with hidden powers and ties to the Selalian Order. There are hints that a figure from mythology called The Emissary might have finally arrived and what a coincidence, Vilam fits many of the signs. Could he be the foretold Emissary and if so what does that mean for the future of Piral and the rest of the universe?

The details in Krausche’s Piral setting are massive and quite impressive. He put together a timeline at the end of the book that illustrates the important events in the world’s history that are important to the text and some that the book hasn’t referred to at all (or rather hasn’t referred to yet since this is a series). They give background information to events like the forming of the Selalian Order and what caused the Galactic Diaspora and the results afterwards. It puts the book into a wider scope that involves the entire universe and no doubt carries important information from volume to volume. Also, it shows Krausche’s ability to create a complex history of his fictional universe.

This is one of those plots that involve a wide cast of characters and in this case various worlds. Even the prologue, which is seemingly unrelated, reveals that Earth is an active participant in this narrative. Things that happen in Piral are connected to things that happen on Earth. The fact that the religious society that is a large part of Piralian life has a small but growing sect on Earth suggests that these completely separate universes will soon have to unite on some future date. So this is unknown through most of the book but perhaps is acknowledged by Phillip’s time at least in some capacity. 

It’s also worth noting that there are some suggestions that time is not linear in this book. Philip is revealed to be the Earth Selalian Order head through a dialogue that identifies him as such in the early 90’s. In the prologue set in the early 80’s, he reads Silana’s account that we assume is most of the novel. It makes sense that Philip is reading historical documents of people that existed in the past. But what then muddies the water is within the text, Vilam begins to dream about Philip and Silana’s wedding and even indicates that he knew them. So he is having dreams in the past of the man reading about him in the future that he may have known or had even been in the past. Perhaps these are prophetic dreams. Perhaps this is proof of reincarnation. More than likely, time in this series is not linear but cyclical. Things that some characters remember are not just what happened in the past but what will happen in the future. These thoughts require Readers to pay attention to the details as they make their own interpretations. 

While the sweeping plot and intricate setting are well written, the heart of the book are the richly detailed characters. The characters go through various trials and challenges that bring out their complex motives and fluid personalities. Two characters for example, Soshia and Maralena start out as maids and comic relief characters. Soshia is particularly humorous when she openly and blatantly flirts with Vilam who is bemused but then receptive to her advances. Then she is put through a very traumatic violent situation and we learn about her and Maralena’s backstory. We find out that they are more than we originally thought.

Catyana is another character who evolves quite a bit both in terms of her gifts and through her own personality. She is a very shy, passive young woman with a large talented family. She has odd quirks that confuse and sometimes upset her so she tries to suppress them as much as she is able to. A shocking experience intensifies her power but also almost drives her insane. She is able to access a much higher power and receive training by the Selalian Order where hopefully she can learn to increase and hopefully control her abilities. This trajectory could lead her down a path of great wisdom, authority, but also insanity.

Many of the characters from opposing kingdoms or ideologies are also portrayed as understandable. Some are driven out of revenge over the deaths of loved ones. Others are motivated by a desire for power when they themselves are marginalized. Some want to maintain the status quo and are afraid of the changes on the horizon so are desperate to hold onto what they can. Some of their actions improve things and bring people together and others create more dissension and division.

Nova and Vilam are at the center of the various conflicts and become catalysts for many of the other characters to facilitate their own paths and personal journeys while reflecting and traversing their own. Nova is a leader with great power and wisdom which she contains or wields when necessary. Quite often she is an observer that mentors and guides others to achieving their potential but still has emotional ties to the people involved.

Vilam also goes through a brilliant journey, particularly when he begins to exhibit the traits of The Emissary. Many of the characteristics are done by accident or without meaning to. He is someone who befriends and defends various characters like Soshia, Nova, and Catyana. His protective nature towards those around him as well as his humility when confronted with this prophecy show that he is the right person. He is a simple but kind man who leads because it’s the right thing to do not to gain accolades or fulfill someone else’s prophecy. He fits the type of reluctant hero, someone who makes a good leader because he doesn’t want to be. 

Vilam’s regular guy persona briefly declines in one chapter where he uses one of the foretold weapons of the Emissary. His voice changes and speech patterns become more elevated. His posture and movements become more strident and he uses his weapons as though they were attached to him. Vilam briefly disappears leaving The Emissary in his place. It's an awesome but haunting transformation especially because it's only temporary and he reverts back to his original self. Vilam’s change might involve a complete evolution or overhaul of the man that he was into the man that he is destined to become. 

The Emissary is an immersive experience that captivates and puzzles Readers. The first book leaves a long-lasting impression which the next volumes are challenged to fill.