Ghostly Summons by John A Karr (4 stars)

About Ghostly Summons

Lars Kelsen doesn’t believe in psychic phenomenon. To him, visions of murder victims are a form of mental illness. Once they begin, options are limited; he can try to ignore them or deal with them by exposing a killer. Only the latter provides any semblance of peace. Temporarily, anyway. Five years into his new life as a programmer, Kelsen—ex-crime beat reporter with a penance he can never fully satisfy—sees a victim.

In person. Upright. Staring.

Typical of such past "Visits" as he calls them, he doesn’t welcome this one. The nude form of a beautiful millionairess in his cubicle means murder has come to the vacation haven known as North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It means he’ll have to go places he'd rather avoid. See things he'll wish he hadn’t. Do things that don't come naturally, like in-your-face confrontation and bending the law. Actually, breaking the law ... but with good intent. It also means dealing with one very attractive county coroner, who pushes his buttons in a not entirely unwelcome way.

So begins Kelsen's return to investigative reporting—complete with attempts on his life, fights, deception, and all the technological tricks, such as GPS and computer hacking, at his disposal. And maybe even finding a new love interest.

eBook Price: $3.99
Pages: 326
Publisher: Dark Continents
Release: March 14, 2013

Review

Can you imagine life with dead people following you around?

For Lars Kelsen, it's a way of life. As much as he tries to convince himself he's mentally falling apart or as hard as he tries to run from his own life, he feels compelled to help the dead victims who appear before him--visitors as he calls them.

Trying to reinvent himself in North Carolina's Outer Banks, Lars is drawn into the murder of a millionaire's wife. His search for answers puts his own life in jeopardy, as the murderer (or murderers) is determined to shut him up. Can Lars survive, or will he become a visitor himself?

Intrigue and suspense pull the reader from page to page, but Ghostly Summons offers more than that. Lars is a character readers can care about--he's equal parts strength and vulnerability. He has suffered many losses thanks to his ability to see dead murder victims.

But most readers will be hooked by the twists and turns of the who-done-it. I was left guessing until the last few pages and on the edge of my seat until all was finally revealed. My only complaint... there was a bit of lull right around the middle. Once I got past that, it was a captivating thrill ride.

Rating: 4 stars

About John A Karr

John A. Karr believes fiction writing each day helps keep the demons at bay. Ghostly Summons is his first full-length novel for Dark Continents Publishing. DCP has also published his Weird West novella, Ujahwek. He is the author of a handful of other novels: Death Clause, Hippocrates Shattered (scheduled for reprint by World Castle Publications as Shattered), Rhone, and Van Gogh, Encore. His short stories have appeared on webzines Allegory, The Absent Willow Review, and Danse Macabre. More works are in progress and in the marketing queue.

Karr is an ardent believer in the quote by Carl Van Doren (1885-1950), U.S. man of letters: Yes, it's hard to write, but it's harder not to.

For more information, please visit his website, his blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.

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Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

A Privilege: The Angel Chronicles, Book 3 by Amy Lignor -- Spotlight

A Privilege:
The Angel Chronicles, Book 3

The beloved Angel/Warrior team face pure evil in their final climactic story!

The first time they were sent down, Irish lives were led. Emily, the angel, ended up embedded in murder and lost in the realm of true love. While Matthew, the warrior, took over a life that left blood on his hands and anger in his soul.

With their second coming, Emily found herself facing an oncoming war that brought her to the shores of America. While Matthew tried desperately to unveil the evil character of a young man who was intent on locking his partner in a ‘gilded’ cage.

Now...Emily and Matthew find that their lives are all their own. Yet, all the memories, hatred, longing and regret have come hand-in-hand with this newfound freedom.

In small town U.S.A., Matthew finds himself loving his new life. From his military school existence to a new, ‘odd’ friend who’s arrived in town, Matthew’s looking forward to graduation and heading off into a brilliant future with Emily by his side.

Emily wants nothing more than to hide. Although doing her best to fit in, she lives a life on the edge, wondering when her past love with reappear to either forgive or seek revenge on the angel who let him down. Battling the shadows that seem to be breaking her soul in two, Emily soon discovers that her small, quiet town has a secret that’s beyond dangerous...

As she and Matthew join forces to help a ‘haunted’ victim, they open the door on a mystery neither of them can believe. A true villain has returned from the past, and not even their heavenly family will be able to save them. This time they’re on their own, as they face a fight that could lead them straight to Hell…and end the angel/warrior team forever.

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Excerpt

Without a word, Matthew reached out, took Emily by the hand and pulled her down beside him. He looked into her eyes and smiled. “I knew my Emily was still in there.”

Out of the blue, the room became incredibly hot, as if Gabriel had entered in order to give a lesson to his favorite students. “What?”

“That spark.” He pulled Emily’s face closer before she could push herself away. “You’ve been acting all this time like you’re just here to sit and wait it out until you’re lucky enough to go Home. But you’re still in there, Emily. You still have all that energy and belief in there and you want to do something. That’s the partner I know.”

Shaking her head, Emily listened to her own breathing intensify as she stared at his full lips and wondered why she felt so completely and utterly strange...vulnerable even. “I want to help this girl. This is a job, maybe my only job down here. She saw a ghost and she wants me to help her out, that’s all.”

“And you will.” Matthew captured Emily’s lips, and she could no longer feel the breath in her lungs. Completely different than the one kiss they’d shared up above so long ago, this one was far more demanding, as if Matthew was a young man determined to kiss his human love for the very first time.

Sitting back, Emily practically jumped off the bed.

“I’m sorry,” she heard him whisper behind her. “I guess I was just excited to see you again.”

Not trusting her voice, she remained silent.

“We have jobs, but we also have a life to live. Our own lives this time around. Maybe you should think about adding that into your angelic plans.” Matthew continued softly, “Jason isn’t here, Emily.”

The name being said out loud sent a chill down Emily’s spine. It reminded her of the vow she’d made a long time ago—a vow that an angel couldn’t break.

She cleared her throat. “It doesn’t matter if he’s here. We were sent to do a job, and maybe helping this little girl prove her story is what I need to begin.”

Standing up, Matthew looked as if he was a man who wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock and erase the name he’d spoken aloud. He walked to the open window. “Well, I hope the job goes well. Good luck with it.”

“Matthew,” Emily took a step toward him. “Don’t leave like this.”

He nodded at the book on the bed. “You have your mission, Emily...your job. Ghosts, goblins, lost souls—knock yourself out.” He took a deep breath. “I wonder when you’re going to figure out that the living souls around you would like some of your attention as well.”

Closing her eyes, Emily shed silent tears as she heard his feet hit the ground beneath her window. A friend, a partner, the one who actually listened, was now just an angry young man racing back to The Armory—a place where warriors reigned.

Emily sighed. She’d done it again. No matter how hard she tried to be good, her mouth always got her into trouble. She needed Matthew to understand. She’d made a promise to a young man a long time ago; a promise that was supposed to last for eternity. How was she to know at the time that their eternity would include death by her hand? Had the second time around broken their vow? Emily had no idea. But whatever happened she could not and would not offer Matthew her heart if payment was still due for her past sins. Above all, Matthew was the last person who deserved to be punished for her mistakes.

Author Amy Lignor

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.

Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.

She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

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Assured Destruction, Michael F. Stewart (4.5 stars) - Review & Giveaway

Assured Destruction Book Summary

Sixteen-year-old Jan Rose knows that nothing is ever truly deleted. At least, not from the hard drives she scours to create the online identities she calls the Shadownet.

Hobby? Art form? Sad, pathetic plea to garner friendship, even virtually? Sure, Jan is guilty on all counts. Maybe she’s even addicted to it. It’s an exploration. Everyone has something to hide. The Shadownet’s hard drives are Jan’s secrets. They're stolen from her family’s computer recycling business Assured Destruction. If the police found out, Jan’s family would lose their livelihood.

When the real people behind Shadownet’s hard drives endure vicious cyber attacks, Jan realizes she is responsible. She doesn’t know who is targeting these people or why but as her life collapses Jan must use all her tech savvy to bring the perpetrators to justice before she becomes the next victim.

Review

Janus (Jan) Rose shoulders a lot of responsibility at the young age of sixteen. She not only takes care of her mother, who suffers from MS, but she spends many hours working at the family business... Assured Destruction, a computer recycling business. 

When costumers come in with computers, Jan sees a wealth of possibility and creates her own world--Shadownet. There she creates caricatures of people she knows based on school experience and, when she's lucky enough to get her hands on it, their own hard drives.

But then the real people behind her creations become victims of cyber attacks. Did someone manage to hack the hacker? As she pieces together the clues, Jan's life starts to spin out of control. Can she fix the mess she innocently started? Even if she can, will she be labeled a criminal?

Jan is a surprisingly deep character, one searching for answers through her own creations. Those Twitter creations are both hilarious and informative, helping to define who our heroine really is. Beyond typical teenage issues, she's caring for an ailing mom who decides it's time to start online dating. 

In addition to memorable characters, the plot is fast-paced and entertaining. Full of twists and turns, the who of the who-done-it surprised me. By the end, I was glad to know this was the first book of a series. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Jan can get herself into next time. 

I highly recommend Assured Destruction to readers who appreciate a page-turner with a litany of characters to care about. This generation has an interesting connection to all things electronic--even their social scene has gone viral thanks to social media. It's the perfect backdrop for modern teen stories, and Michael Stewart crafts a world where even the computer characters are three-dimensional. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Michael F. Stewart's Bio

After crewing ships in the Antarctic and the Baltic Sea and some fun in venture capital, Michael anchored himself (happily) to a marriage and a boatload of kids. Now he injects his adventurous spirit into his writing with brief respites for research into the jungles of Sumatra and Guatemala, the ruins of Egypt and Tik’al, paddling the Zambezi and diving whatever cave or ocean reef will have him. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and SF Canada, and the author of the Assured Destruction series, 24 Bones, The Sand Dragon, Hurakan, Ruination and several award winning graphic novels for young adults.

Find out more: website, Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads.

This is a blog tour, please visit the Assured Destruction blog tour page for more stops.

Buy Assured Destruction on Amazon: paperback and Kindle.

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Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

The Grace Painter, Mark Romang (4 stars) Review & Giveaway

About The Grace Painter

Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is the one reflecting back at you from inside a mirror. Matthew London can attest to this difficult truth. Ever since the former NYPD hostage negotiator changed his identity and fled New York City for the backwaters of Louisiana, regret has ruled his life.

For eight years London has lived like a hermit in a declining plantation house. Only his talent for painting Renaissance-style murals and paintings keeps the inner-demons from totally destroying him. Each day the disgraced hostage negotiator longs for a chance at redemption, never expecting it to actually happen. But then a down-on-her-luck FBI agent shows up on his doorstep one evening. It turns out Jean-Paul and Sebastian Boudreaux, two local brothers famous for lawlessness have inadvertently kidnapped a little girl.

London is quickly thrust into the starring role of a daring rescue attempt. But before he can rescue the child from the dangerous Boudreaux brothers, he first must find a way to forgive himself for a past misstep, a blunder that forever altered his once promising life. But in the Atchafalaya Basin swampland, nothing is promised. Grace cannot be purchased or earned. It can only be given.

Review

After a brutal hostage situation, one where he suffered personal loss, Matthew London changes his identity and heads to Louisiana. Now Jon Rafter, he lives under the dark cloud of regret and self-blame. He spends his days painting and secluded. 

Annie Crawford, an FBI agent, is forced to face her demons when a young girl is kidnapped. Refusing to let this girl suffer Annie's fate, she lays everything on the line to rescue her. When the rescue goes wrong, Annie and Jon are brought together. 

When Annie shares her plans with Jon, both have their reasons for taking off in a brutal storm to save a girl from the notoriously dangerous Boudreaux brothers. Will they get to the girl in time? Can both of them heal the scars of past demons?

And all of this is only the tip of the iceberg. Several lives become involved in bringing down the Boudreaux brothers, and particularly Sebastian Boudreaux. The story pulled me in from the opening harrowing scene, one that expertly sets up why Matthew/Jon flees to isolation, and kept me riveted until the last page. 

By the end, there were so many characters I cared about... each intricately developed and intertwined. At first the underlying religious theme was subtle, but it grew with each devastating event. There is a scene with the kidnapped girl, locked in a dark closet, that will be with me for a long time. I even fell in love with Jon's dog, Samson... that's how great the character development was.

Why a 4 rating, then, you might ask? 

With many characters and side stories, I felt whiplashed at times. I'd be so invested in what was happening and then a new chapter (and a jump from one place to another) tore me away. Within pages, I was back on track, but I wish it had been a slightly smoother ride. Mark Romang could have written two separate books with the amount of story and character development he had in this novel. 

I highly recommend this novel to readers who want to be invested in a character within the first few pages. Rarely have I cared so much about so many characters so quickly. There are several wonderful elements for readers to invest in: an endearing romance, heart-pounding action, memorable characters, and an intricate road to redemption and grace. Take a chance on The Grace Painter. 

Rating: 4 stars

Mark Romang's Bio

I was born in 1967. Avid reader, suspense novelist, faithful husband, baffled father, factory worker, reformed head-banger, failed musician, contact sports lover, MMA enthusiast, distressed KC sports fan, Lord of the Rings geek, workout fiend, dog owner, nature lover, proud American, disgruntled voter, pistachio addict, caffeine-riddled, screw-up saved by grace, sojourner. This is me in a nutshell.

Find out more about the author on his website, Facebook, and GoodReads.

This is a blog tour, please visit the The Grace Painter blog tour page for more stops.

Buy The Grace Painter

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Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

The Book of Paul, Richard Long (4 stars) Review & Giveaway

About The Book of Paul

"Everything you've ever believed about yourself...about the description of reality you've clung to so stubbornly all your life...all of it...every bit of it...is an illusion."

In the rubble-strewn wasteland of Alphabet City, a squalid tenement conceals a treasure "beyond all imagining"-- an immaculately preserved, fifth century codex. The sole repository of ancient Hermetic lore, it contains the alchemical rituals for transforming thought into substance, transmuting matter at will...and attaining eternal life.

When Rose, a sex and pain addicted East Village tattoo artist has a torrid encounter with Martin, a battle-hardened loner, they discover they are unwitting pawns on opposing sides of a battle that has shaped the course of human history. At the center of the conflict is Paul, the villainous overlord of an underground feudal society, who guards the book's occult secrets in preparation for the fulfillment of an apocalyptic prophecy.

The action is relentless as Rose and Martin fight to escape Paul's clutches and Martin's destiny as the chosen recipient of Paul's sinister legacy. Science and magic, mythology and technology converge in a monumental battle where the stakes couldn't be higher: control of the ultimate power in the universe--the Maelstrom.

The Book of Paul is the first of seven volumes in a sweeping mythological narrative tracing the mystical connections between Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt, Sophia, the female counterpart of Christ, and the Celtic druids of Clan Kelly.

Review

I'm rarely at a loss for words, yet when I finished reading The Book of Paul I sat speechless and exhausted. Not only is it one of the most intense books I've ever read, it challenged me to consider another way of thinking as I entered the mind of a mad man--the main character, Paul. The last time I felt this kind of intense struggle was when I read Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

Suffering an unimaginable upbringing, Martin keeps mostly to himself. Paul, his mentor and only father figure he ever knew, raised Martin to overcome pain--but only by subjecting him to torturous acts in order to break him of pain's stronghold. When Martin develops feelings for Rose, a neighbor, he starts to question his fate. Many lives hang in the balance when Martin decides to finally face Paul and everything Paul ever taught him.

The story is captivating, seducing the reader with action and a disturbing need to know. As much as I wanted to walk away at times, just to process what was happening and come up for air, I couldn't... Martin and Paul had me in their grips and wouldn't let go. Kudos to Richard Long for an intricate and fascinating story.

Note: So much of this book I'm still processing. I think a second, thorough read would push it to 5-stars because I would have the opportunity to really take in everything that was happening. At times, the pacing strangled me... mostly in a good way.

Rating: 4 stars

About Richard Long

Richard Long writes to exorcize the demons of his past and manifest the dreams of his future. His debut novel, The Book of Paul, is a dark, thrilling, and psychologically rich supernatural horror/thriller that blends mythology, science and mystery into a page-turning addiction. Richard is also writing a YA novel, The Dream Palace, primarily so that his children can read his books. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, two amazing children and their wicked black cat, Merlin.

For more information, please visit his website, blog, Facebook page, on Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and GoodReads.

Buy The Book of Paul

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This is a blog tour, please visit the The Book of Paul blog tour page for more stops.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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Untimed, Andy Gavin (4 stars) Review & Giveaway

Untimed Book Summary

Charlie’s the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, even his own mother can’t remember his name. And girls? The invisible man gets more dates.

As if that weren’t enough, when a mysterious clockwork man tries to kill him in modern day Philadelphia, and they tumble through a hole into 1725 London, Charlie realizes even the laws of time don’t take him seriously.

Still, this isn’t all bad. In fact, there’s this girl, another time traveler, who not only remembers his name, but might even like him! Unfortunately, Yvaine carries more than her share of baggage: like a baby boy and at least two ex-boyfriends! One’s famous, the other’s murderous, and Charlie doesn’t know who is the bigger problem.

When one kills the other — and the other is nineteen year-old Ben Franklin — things get really crazy. Can their relationship survive? Can the future? Charlie and Yvaine are time travelers, they can fix this — theoretically — but the rules are complicated and the stakes are history as we know it. And there's one more wrinkle: he can only travel into the past, and she can only travel into the future!

Link to excerpts from Untimed

Buy Untimed at Amazon: paperback or Kindle

Prices/Formats: $5.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $24.00 hardcover
Publisher: Mascherato Publishing
Pages: 325
Release: December 19, 2012

Review

Charlie just wants to be noticed, not just by the pretty girl in school but by his own mom. He knows something about his life is different, but just as his dad is about to share the family secret, everything changes.

Transported to 1725 London, Charlie searches for a way back home. Thankful for his father's forced history lessons, he at least understands the time period. Then, his path crosses with another time traveler, Yvaine. Can she help him get back home? Is the future depending on them?

So many factors are at play in this novel--time travel, a budding romance, family issues, historical events, and the power of choice. The action and intrigue start from page one and never let up, especially as Yvaine and Charlie jump to various times in a struggle to preserve history and to simply survive.

The best part... the story doesn't just rely on action to keep the reader engaged. I was as captivated by the characters and their relationships and feelings as I was the action. Kudos to the author for creating layers of interest. Even when the time twists confused me, the characters' interactions kept me turning the pages.

Pick up Untimed and get ready for an adventure with heart.

Rating: 4 stars

About Andy Gavin

Andy Gavin is a serial creative, polymath, novelist, entrepreneur, computer programmer, author, foodie, and video game creator. He co-founded video game developer Naughty Dog and co-created Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. He started numerous companies, has been lead programmer on video games that have sold more than forty million copies, and has written two novels.

His first book, The Darkening Dream, has been well-received by fans and critics alike. Publisher’s Weekly called it “gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying.” Untimed is an even more ambitious follow-up. It is a lavish production with a cover by acclaimed fantasy artist Cliff Nielsen and twenty-one full page interior illustrations by Dave Phillips.

For more information on the author, please visit his website, Facebook page, Twitter page, blog, GoodReads, Pinterest, or Wikipedia.

This is a blog tour, please visit the Untimed blog tour for more stops.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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A New Birth of Freedom: The Translator, Robert G. Pielke (4 stars) Review & Giveaway

A New Birth of Freedom: The Translator Summary

Noam Chomsky argues that communication with aliens would be impossible. Stephen Hawking argues that it would be extremely unwise even to try. What if it were absolutely necessary to do so? This question arises with extreme urgency at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, in this time-travel, alternate-history trilogy, A New Birth of Freedom.

A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor (Book One) Summary

It has taken centuries to recognize that all humans possess certain unalienable rights. There will come a time when we have to consider whether others deserve those rights as well. That time will come on July 3rd 1863. 

When a stranger carrying a shiny, metallic valise steps aboard a train carrying Abraham Lincoln home from a 2 year stint in Congress, everyone stares, wondering about the stranger's odd clothing and strange footware with the word Nike emblazoned on them.

When the strange man shows up in Lincoln's office at the White house 14 years later, still wearing the same clothes, carrying the same valise and looking not a day older, the president and his staff know something is odd.

But when Edwin Blair opens his valise and projects a 3d image of the Earth on Lincoln's wall, then proceeds to tell a fanciful tale about time traveling aliens preparing to land at Gettysburg on July 3rd, they are sure they've met a lunatic.

Unfortunately for them, they're wrong. 

Please visit the A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor 2011 blog tour page for more information.

Prices/Formats: $16.95 paperback, $4.99 ebook
Pages: 394
ISBN: 9781611605426
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Release: November 1, 2012

Review

The Civil War had a huge impact on who we are as a nation. In the A New Birth of Freedom series, it has an even greater impact as an historian from the future travels there to prevent the end of our world at the hands of aliens.

The first book in this science fiction trilogy, The Visitor, sets the stage. Edwin Blair time travels back to meet Abraham Lincoln and then to Gettysburg to try and stop the future destruction of our planet. An alien cube is to land in the middle of the battle, and Blair needs Lincoln's help to orchestrate a momentary truce between the North and the South against a common enemy.

The action continues in the second book, The Translator, as Blair tries to understand the ramifications of changing history. The aliens have momentarily been stopped and a few are being held for interrogation. Blair must use all of his knowledge, combined with the knowledge of the significant historical figures of the time, to figure out how to communicate with aliens (known as pests). Then, he must decide how to use the information.

But nothing is simple when it comes to time travel. If Blair changes things too dramatically, a paradox will occur. One that could wipe out his own existence which would preclude him from ever going back in the first place. What he ultimately figures out is that he can only change things slightly enough so as not to overly affect the future, while still making a lasting small change that he will ultimately understand.

The author does an amazing job with history and the difficult task of exploring time travel and the confusing effects such an ability could have. Civil War buffs will especially love the interactions of a future historian with people like Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. Several times, I was intrigued enough by the events to head to the Internet to look up Civil War dates and facts.

I highly recommend this book to those who love history with a twist and science fiction fans, although I think others will enjoy it as well. While readers could pick up The Translator as a stand alone, it reads better with the background from book one, The Visitor. And don't expect a tidy ending at the end of this book... it definitely leaves you wanting to read the last book in the trilogy.

Note: I am vague about the details of both books for good reason. I don't want to ruin the experience for readers, as the twists and turns are a huge part of the books' allure.

Ratings: 4 stars (for both books)

About Robert G. Pielke

Robert Pielke, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, now lives in Claremont, California. He earned a B.A. in History at the University of Maryland, an M. Div. in Systematic Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the Claremont Graduate School.

He taught on ground and online for countless years at George Mason University in Virginia, El Camino College in California and online for the University of Phoenix. Now happily retired from “the job,” he is doing what he always wanted to do since he wrote his first novel at ten in elementary school. It was one paragraph, three pages long and, although he didn’t know it at the time, it was alternate history.

His academic writings have been in the area of ethics, including a boring academic treatise called Critiquing Moral Arguments, logic, and popular culture. Included in the latter is an analysis of rock music entitled You Say You Want a Revolution: Rock Music in American Culture. He has also published short stories, feature articles, film and restaurant reviews. His novels include a savagely satirical novel on America and its foibles, proclivities and propensities, Hitler the Cat Goes West, and an alternate history, science fiction novel, The Mission.

Most recently, he has updated and revised his book on rock music, which is being republished by McFarland & Co.

He swims daily, skis occasionally, cooks as an avocation, watches innumerable movies, collects rock and roll concert films, is an avid devotee of Maryland crabs and maintains a rarely visited blog filled with his social and political ravings. His favorite film is the original Hairspray; his favorite song is “A Day in the Life”; his favorite pizza is from the original Ledo Restaurant in College Park, MD; and he is a firm believer in the efficacy of “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” Somehow his family and friends put up with him.

For more information about the author, please visit his website, Facebook page, Twitter page, and on GoodReads.

This is a blog tour, please visit the A New Birth of Freedom: The Translator blog tour for more stops.

Buy A New Birth of Freedom: The Translator

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Whiskey Creek Press: Paperback, ebook

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Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tribute Books for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

For more information on Tribute Books, please visit their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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Giveaway

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I'm thrilled to be giving away an ebook copy of A New Birth of Freedom: The Translator to one lucky reader.

To enter to win, please leave your name and email address in the comments below. The contest will close at 5:00pm EST on Friday, February 22.

I will put each name in a hat and have my trusty assistant (my lovely 12-year-old daughter) pick one. 

Good luck!