Amusement abounds in Excalibur’s return
Posted by tcabn in Fantasy, Uncategorized, Young Adult on January 19, 2013
– The Wrong Sword by Ted Mendelssohn; an Amazon 4.8 stars rating and 4.11 stars on Goodreads.
My Take on The Wrong Sword:
Mendelssohn creates a witty tale outside the pages of myth in his depiction of the legendary Excalibur, King Arthur of Camelot’s famous sword. Set in Europe in the time of the Plantagenet family rein, a crafty thief is forced to use his guile and intellect to find Excalibur and deliver it to an unsavory contender for the British throne but when he finally pulls the famous sword from its resting place, he finds the sword has its own ideas about who should wield it. Read the rest of this entry »
Clever – Crafty Debut
Posted by tcabn in Books, Fiction, Short Story on January 5, 2013
Choices & Chances by Patrick White; yet to be rated by Amazon or goodreads.
Some Thoughts on Choices & Chances:
Choices and Chances offers three distinct short stories that have everything to do with the pebble in the pond theory; the ripple-effect a single choice can have on the totality of our lives and those around us. The Streak’s main character plays a very active role in his situation, while the protagonist in The Traffickers chose an environment where others held the strings. In The Law of Unintended Consequences, you’re left having that internal debate to assign blame or determine cause and effect like some kind of prosecuting attorney. Read the rest of this entry »
Debut novel offers unique twists to fantasy genre
The Sword of Solonus by Adam Matthews; an Amazon and goodreads 4.7 stars average rating.
It’s always refreshing to read a fantasy novel that takes a creative approach to the fundamentals of setting, in particular the rules or laws of magic. Matthews has done a remarkable job creating a pretty unique magic system that pushes beyond conventional bounds in its limitation, raw power, and its need for a humanoid passion to really add the wow-factor. Read the rest of this entry »
Rich characters, a warm and moving story
Posted by tcabn in Books, Historical Fiction on December 1, 2012
Wonderfully charming debut – Only a Paper Moon by Tina Pisco; an Amazon and goodreads 3.5 stars average rating.
Some Thoughts on Only a Paper Moon:
This is a story you might expect to read from a much more seasoned author but Tina Pisco’s debut is absolutely rich with color and characters. Read the rest of this entry »
Graphic and beautifully gritty
Posted by tcabn in Short Story on November 14, 2012
Graphic and beautifully gritty – A Strange, Sickly Beauty by Jon Dambacher; an Amazon and goodreads 4.0 stars average rating.
Pay close attention as you read this short story because if its poetic style doesn’t carry you away, the detailed and descriptive scenes Jon Dembacher creates will certainly leave you stunned by his gruesome brilliance…and that’s only after the first few paragraphs. Read the rest of this entry »




