Middle-grade Steampunk Review: Farsprocket by Dustin McGee

Farsprocket
by Dustin McGee 

Publication Date: February 9th 2013

Description:
The Kingdom of Stormgear flourished for many ages, before the events of the 7th Age brought that peace to an abrupt and devastating halt. A great war ravaged the Far North and spread corruption throughout the land. At the end, the war even reached the massive gates of the city of Stormgear, with its shining beacon of hope, the Academy, at its heart.

Though the city had already seen its fortunes fall when a plague swept through its western reaches, the defenders managed to hold back the assault, but at a great cost. With the war finally over, the city began to recover and life seemed to be returning to normal, but there are still threats lurking in the shadows, hoping to disrupt this fragile peace. Much of this danger lies in the manufacturing district in the western portion of the city, which remains a restricted area, but children regularly find their way in, to explore and discover the parts needed for their latest inventions.

It's every child's dream to become an engineer of legend and to do so they must first gain entry into the Academy of Engineering, a massive tower at the center of the city. An engineering marvel in itself, the tower has trained and nurtured many engineers through its diverse programs in various fields of engineering study. To be accepted, you must prove yourself and it’s this test that has led many a child to seek out the assortment of parts and wreckage that lie in the west.

With many of the old legends fading into history and the world just a tad darker than in ages past, it is through this search for elusive parts that a small group of children and early teens will be brought together to face this new age, together.

Though they are mostly naïve to the dangers surrounding them, they just might have the talent and heroism necessary to become legends themselves.

My Review:
Farsprocket is steampunk for the middle-grade crowd. The heroes in this story are Magnus, Vorrin, Melayna, and Cindra. Aided by their robots, Titan and Alpha, the kids decide to go on a rescue mission.

The thing I love most about this story is the humor. The author has great timing, particularly with the dialog and arguments. The non-verbal cues are also spot on. I could totally picture the faces the kids were making and it just made it all the more entertaining. The rivalry between Cindra and Magnus was hilarious. Poor Magnus.

The two robots that go along with the kids are also a hoot. They were just as charismatic as the kids, even without the ability to talk, especially Alpha, who kept turning on a certain setting despite how often Melayna turned it off.

Besides the heroic team, plenty of dangerous characters roam these pages, giving the story an exciting edge and the heroes a reason for working together. A devastating plague caused by pollution causes people to go insane, even so much as to engineer equally insane robots to wreak havoc. Scrappers, who roam the abandoned parts of the city to steal parts, are just as likely to steal away unsuspecting people to work in the mines. And corrupted robots are fueled by a dark power source that makes them incredibly strong and violent, a bad combination.

Even so, I noticed a few things that didn’t quite work for me. The kids tend to yell and shout when they’re supposed to be hiding, yet they’re never noticed. They also become friends almost the instant they meet. The story spans only a couple of days, but very quickly refers to them all as being close friends or family. Not a big deal, just seemed a bit easy.

Overall, I really liked this story. I’d recommend it to folks who enjoy kid-friendly action, humor, and robots. In particular, I think the middle school crowd would dig it.

I picked this up some time ago while it was on a free promotion. Finally got a chance to read it.

Romance Review: The Heavenly Bites Novella Collection (Heavenly Bites #1-3) by Christine S. Feldman

The Heavenly Bites Novella Collection (Heavenly Bites #1-3)
by Christine S. Feldman (Author), Elaina Lee (Illustrator) 

Published April 2, 2014

Description:
At the Heavenly Bites Bakery, three very different women bake up delectable treats and find romance with some unexpected but equally delectable men. Find out how in these three short and sweet novellas, previously available only as ebooks but finally available as a collection and in paperback form…

PASTELS AND JINGLE BELLS: When Trish Ackerly crosses paths with Ian Rafferty, the former bully of her childhood years, her plans for a comeuppance fall by the wayside as she comes to realize that the man he is now is very different from the boy he used to be—and that a Christmas romance might just be in her future…

LOVE LESSONS: When bakery customer Mrs. Beasley guilts Nadia Normandy into mentoring unsuspecting accountant Benji Garner in the world of dating, Nadia soon discovers that this particular accountant has a charm all his own. And with New Year’s Eve just around the corner, it may be time for Nadia to make a resolution to sweep her protégé off his feet before someone else beats her to it…

PLAYING CUPID: Free-spirited Aimee Beasley’s plans to match her widowed grandmother up with a distinguished elderly gentleman hit a snag when she learns he’s the uncle of their downstairs neighbor, grim Doyle Berkely, a man with whom Aimee butts heads on a regular basis. But in the process of nudging her grandmother’s romance along, Aimee uncovers a softer side to Doyle that may lead to a little romance of her own…

My review:
The Heavenly Bites Novella collection is a sweet treat all of its own. All three stories feature the best part of romance, falling in love. 

Pastels and Jingle Bells is ultra-cute. Trish’s failed plot to tell off her grade-school bully is my favorite. The story shows that folks change, sometimes in unexpected ways. Trish’s conundrum is even more interesting as time goes by and she hasn’t built up the nerve to tell Ian they knew each other before. Toss in a zombie loving kid and some Christmas cheer, and you have quite a fun read.

Love Lessons is funny and delightful. Mrs. Beasley made an appearance in Pastels and Jingle Bells, but in this one, she’s jumped right into center stage, put on her matchmaking hat, and tricked Nadia and Benji into meeting up. Nadia thinks she’s going to teach Benji how to be a ladies’ man. Benji thinks he’s going to teach Nadia how to make a financial plan. Plenty of foot-in-mouth moments on Nadia’s part. Plenty of blushing and charm on Benji’s. A romance you’ll root for.

Playing Cupid is sweet and chuckle-worthy. Aimee, the recently hired front counter worker at Heavenly Bites is Mrs. Beasley’s granddaughter. When she comes home one day to find Mrs. Beasley and a charming old fellow, she gets the bright idea to help them hook up. But everything gets turned around when she finds out the man was there to visit her downstairs nemesis, Doyle, a stodgy professor who can’t hide his disapproval of Aimee’s carefree nature. Two sweet romances, some epic arguments, and a bit of a mystery make this story a bit meatier than the other two.

Overall, I loved these novellas. They’re the perfect recipe for a feel-good afternoon, or three. Plenty of happily ever after for everyone.

I picked up this collection while it was on a free promotion quite some time ago. At that time, I'd already read Pastels and Jingle Bells, so I knew I'd probably like the other two. I got a little distracted between then and now, but I finally got around to reading the collection. Good stuff!


About the Author:

Christine S. Feldman writes both novels and feature-length screenplays, and she has placed in screenwriting competitions on both coasts. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her ballroom-dancing husband and their beagle.

Links:
Christine's Blog
Amazon Profile
Goodreads Profile

Books by this Author:

Humorous Memoir Review: Holly Jolly Nothing by Vincent Daniels

Holly Jolly Nothing
by Vincent Daniels

Description:
Detroit native Vincent Daniels delivers a hilarious retelling of his absurd childhood as a mixed-race Jehovah's Witness whiz kid in an all-white Catholic-dominated community. Add in some energetic cult conventions, a neighboring halfway house, an unhealthy dinosaur obsession, a couple zealous, quirky parents, and a doozy of an imagination, and you've got one hell of a funny memoir here. This essay-style collection of stories is a great choice for fans of David Sedaris, Jenny Lawson, Allie Brosh, and Justin Halpern.

Daniels' sharp wit, fearless humor, and penchant for shining in even the strangest fiascos keeps his book consistently fun and relatable. In addition to a laugh-out-loud peek into what it's like to be a holiday-avoiding, door-to-door mini preacher, Holly Jolly Nothing sends you on a grandiose trip back to childhood, complete with first crush freak-outs, sleazy after-school jobs, grade school victories and debacles, head-scratchingly odd neighborhood kids, and other coming-of-age awesomeness - all penned with a strong dose of warmth, wonder, and belly laughs.

Don't let the idea of childhood nostalgia fool you though. These stories aren't mild salsa. There's enough spicy adult humor here to set up a lifetime of Judd Apatow movies. And for fans of Daniels' first book, Meaty Balls, don't worry - the author's voice-of-the-people, gleefully-less-than-PC perspective is present on all levels, as is his self-targeting, sincere humor. Daniels' musings are on par with the best Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, or John Mulaney stand-up comedy. In summary, if you think laughter is the best medicine, don't walk, RUN, to get yourself a copy of Holly Jolly Nothing!

My Review:
As with Meaty Balls, the author’s description is boastful, but spot on. Loved every moment of it.

These memoirs are hilarious, but also relatable.

There’s no shortage of adult humor and irreverence, and I found both to be delightful. It’s insane how it works so well within the context of a childhood memoir. I recommend following every footnote as they appear. Very funny, especially the challenge that’s revealed in the very last one. I particularly loved the toy cowboys and indians story and the dinosaur know-it-all story. Oh, and the science fair debacle had me rolling. They sort of bounce around in the timeline, but they still flow.

Now, these memoirs are humorous, but there are some serious bits in there. If you want to know what it’s like to be a kid and have to abstain from the pledge or avoid holiday everything or preach to your neighbors and friends (or even your paper route customers), the author nails it. I experienced much of the same, and to me, the accounts come across as honest and accurate, though not painted in the rosiest of lights. That being said, I don’t think my JW friends or family would like it, at all.

Overall, I loved this book as much as I did Meaty Balls, which is to say, a lot. I strongly recommend this to folks who love witty, humorous memoirs with a good dose of potty language. Not for the easily offended.

I purchased this book from Amazon.
            
Author Links (in this case, almost as entertaining as the books themselves):
Twitter @quite_meaty
Goodreads Vincent Daniels
Facebook Page Author Vincent Daniels


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Humorous Fantasy Review: Myth-Gotten Gains (Myth Adventures #17) by Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye

Myth-Gotten Gains  (Myth Adventures #17)
by Robert Asprin, Jody Lynn Nye

Description:
Someone is collecting animated treasures and keeping them from their heroic destinies. Reunited with the lovely Trollop Tananda, Aahz the Pervect must help out a sword called Ersatz, and embark on a quest that just may restore his lost magical powers.


My Review:
As an Aahz book, this is a pretty good one. He's sucked into an epic-ish quest by an egotistical, fast-talking sword who promises him a gain on his investment. Then Tananda and Calypsa get involved, and the quest takes a turn from personal gain to a rescue mission.

I thought this one was kind of cute, but dang those Hoard objects fight a lot. I mean a lot! And every time they do, chaos ensues. Anyhow, what I liked most about this one was the tour through the odd dimensions and all the challenges the team has to overcome to obtain each magical item.

The puns were as delightfully groan-worthy as ever, some more than others, just as were some of the more colorful species Aahz and pals run across. All that being said, I really miss the Skeeve and Aahz pair ups, really, all the Myth Inc. folks. These're just funnier when the whole team's together.

Overall, I really liked this one, though the Hoard's arguments get a bit repetitive. I'd recommend this to folks who like a bit of fantasy laden with a good dose of puns and irreverence.

I received this book as a gift from my husband.


About the Authors:

Robert Aspirin

 

Robert (Lynn) Asprin was born in 1946. While he wrote some stand alone novels such as Cold Cash War, Tambu and The Bug Wars and also the Duncan and Mallory Illustrated stories, Bob is best known for his series fantasy, such as the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve, the Phule’s Company novels and the Time Scout novels written with Linda Evans. He also edited the groundbreaking Thieves’ World anthology series with Lynn Abbey. Other collaborations include License Invoked (set in the French Quarter of New Orleans) and several Myth Adventures novels, all written with Jody Lynn Nye.

Bob’s final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.

Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.  

Jody Lynn Nye

Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories.

Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker.

For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, WFBN (WGBO), serving the last year as Technical Operations Manager. During her time at WFBN, she was part of the engineering team that built the station, acted as Technical Director during live sports broadcasts, and worked to produce in-house spots and public service announcements.

Over the last twenty or so years, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and participated on hundreds of panels covering the subjects of writing and being published at science-fiction conventions. She has also spoken in schools and libraries around the north and northwest suburbs. In 2007 she taught fantasy writing at Columbia College Chicago. She also runs the two-day writers workshop at DragonCon.

Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with her husband Bill Fawcett, a writer, game designer, military historian and book packager, and a black cat, Jeremy.


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You won't find this one on Kindle, but you can probably find a decent mass-market paperback copy on Amazon for a good deal.

Humorous Fiction Review: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency  (Dirk Gently #1)
by Douglas Adams 

Description:
What do a dead cat, a computer whiz-kid, an Electric Monk who believes the world is pink, quantum mechanics, a Chronologist over 200 years old, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poet), and pizza have in common? Apparently not much; until Dirk Gently, self-styled private investigator, sets out to prove the fundamental interconnectedness of all things by solving a mysterious murder, assisting a mysterious professor, unravelling a mysterious mystery, and eating a lot of pizza – not to mention saving the entire human race from extinction along the way (at no extra charge). To find out more, read this book (better still, buy it, then read it) – or contact Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. ‘A thumping good detective-ghost-horror-whodunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy epic.’ The author

My Review:
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is a delightful romp through the impossible.

A misfit clairvoyant who insists he isn’t, a computer programmer who can’t understand how his couch got stuck in the stairwell, and a ghost who just wants to finish his phone call, those are just a few of the quirky cast members in this hilariously odd murder mystery.

That being said, I loved it and will most likely read it again. It didn’t disappoint. In fact, I loved it more than I did Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which went a little more odd than funny after the 3rd installment, if I remember correctly. Anyhow, it takes a while for Dirk to even show up in the story, but the lead up is exactly what it needs to be. Everything ties together in a delightfully unpredictable, but altogether logical way, and it’s not so obtuse that I couldn’t pick up on important (but seemingly unimportant) details along the way.

If you’re worried that this might spoil the next season of the BBC TV series of the same name, fear not. It really has nothing in common but the style, the humor, and, of course, the main character, Dirk Gently.

I would highly recommend this to folks who love a quirky, funny read. I had a blast with it.

I purchased the paperback edition of this at Barnes & Noble.