Reviews of Indie Books I liked
Mythology - Irish Style!
How do you like your leprechauns? Hopefully a little on the nasty side. This author does a wonderful job weaving together the creatures and myths of Irish lore into a modern-day world of mythology. This is the coming of age story for Aislinn, a teenager who only wants a normal existence while trying to overcome an age-old curse and have a few life complications from certain magical friends and family. The narrative is well-executed on all levels from writing style to well drawn out characters and to an exciting plot. I had a really fun time reading this and already have the sequel, which I can't wait to get started on.
The (1/2)pocalypse is coming!
I'm a big fan of the apocalyse genre and love zombies (not literally, just the mayhem they produce) in general. This book is a great entry into that arena. However, rather than having the total destruction of civilization, which leads the survivors into tough choices of living and dying and losing their remaining humanity, this book ponders the question of "What if zombies came, but civilization didn't collapse?" Wilders follow Renna, a teenager, and her family struggling to make a normal life in the midst of the (1/2)pocalypse, where the zombies exist but have been contained in wild, untamed areas between outlying towns and cities. This unstable equilibrium of society teetering on the thin edge between civilization and anarchy gives a great kick to the moral underpinnings of the usual apocalypse novel. The author has a strong and clean writing style with a great eye for creating nuanced and clear characters. The story is well-paced and the pages turn quickly making for a very enjoyable read. Will be looking forward to the sequels.
Fresh Take on Mythology
I have to confess that my guilty pleasure for reading is all things with Greek gods. This author has woven many of the long held myths together into a brand new and compelling storyline. *** Mild Spoilers *** Because of the nature of having to deconstruct what the reader already knows, the book starts with a carefully paced act 1, which outlines the origin story of this version of Hades. Then as the story moves into act 2, the pace increases with well drawn out characters and battles between the gods. Although filled with action, the battles never grow stale because of the skill the author puts into setting up the conflict and motivations of the players. The third act is wonderful and filled with unexpected twists. Truly, a pleasure to read this creative tale of gods and men.