Wild Children by Richard Roberts (REVIEW)

Wild Children by Richard Roberts

Published December 11 2012 by Curiosity Quills Press

344 Pages



Synopsis:



Bad children are punished. Be bad, a child is told, and you’ll be turned into an animal, marked with your crime.



Five children each tell a different story of what they became: One learns that wrong can be right, and her curse may be a blessing. Another is so Wild he must learn the simplest lesson, to love someone else. An eight year old girl must face fear and doubt as she dies of old age. Love and strangeness hit the lives of two brothers in the form of a beautiful flaming bird. Finally, the oldest child learns that what is right can be horribly wrong.



Together they tell a sixth story, of a Wild Girl who can’t speak for herself, and doesn’t seem Wild at all.





Review: 



Richard Roberts writes fantasy focused around folk tales, fairy tales and mythology. He has had strange jobs such as breeding tarantulas and translating Japanese television to English. And here we have Wild Children which shows how one can write such an interesting piece or work.



What caught my eye was the title. I have four daughters - 3 of 4 are wild, the other one is watching her sisters learning to be wild. Yeah I'm going to need stables to train my wild children.



In Wild Children we meet children who are misbehaved in one way or another. They are turned into an animal based on their behaviour  Donkeys, Birds, Cats, Unicorn, etc. Now, as ownership of mainly the rich people, they give us readers the story behind their respective characters.



My favorite Wild Child is Jinx, a black cat who is a wandering, with no owner, who can see what others can't. With a little bit of a Cat's Eye reference by Steven King. The two birds, Right and Left, play a huge part throughout Robert's wonderful story.



If you want fantasy, Robert Richard has it covered. Wild Children will bring out your animal as you tear through this novel. I wonder what animal I would of became. I was a devious SOB in middle school.

(as posted on Amazon/Goodreads/Netgalley)

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The Hunter's Rede by F.T. McKinstry (REVIEW)

Despite my fears that the promise of the cover blurb might be too good to be true, The Hunter's Rede turned out to be one of those old-school pulp fantasy tales that hits all the right notes. F.T. McKinstry has built an interesting world here, with a fascinating system of magic, and put an interesting protagonist at the forefront. It takes a long while before Lorth makes that transition from protagonist to hero, but that's a large part of the story's charm.



Lorth is a great character, reminiscent of such pulp heroes as Conan, Elric, and Fafhrd. He's a self-serving loner, with an utter disregard for rules, and a recklessness borne of the legends that have grown around him. That's not so say he's a bad guy, just a selfish, pragmatic, amoral man with a somewhat distasteful job to do . . . which he happens to do very well. Like his predecessors, Lorth is also a man of deep-rooted passions, with loyalties that are sometimes short-lived, but no less significant for it.



The story here is well-told, moving along at a brisk pace. For such a short book - more a novella than a proper novel - there's a surprising amount of political intrigue and developing relationships to carry the story along. We're fed background details as we go, with no awkward moments of exposition, and no extended flashbacks to pull us from the main thread of the narrative. Like I said earlier, the system of magic is quite intriguing, but also smartly limited, keeping the overall story grounded in intelligent resolutions, as opposed to exaggerated games of one-upmanship.



While this first book works well as a self-contained story, there's more than enough potential left unexplored for subsequent instalments in the further Chronicles of Ealiron.

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House Hunter by S.T. Cartledge (REVIEW)

A part of the New Bizarro Authors Series, House Hunter represents the debut novella from S.T. Cartledge. It's a fun read, with a subject matter that is entirely fitting for the Bizarro style, along with a narrative style that makes it immediately accessible. Even those readers who don't regularly dabble in the Bizarro may find themselves drawn to this one.



Cleverly constructed around the theme of what makes a house a home, this is a story that's entirely self-aware of its puns, its tongue-in-cheek moments, and its literary influences. There are moments where you get caught up in the excitement, cheering Imogen on in her fantastic battles, that you entirely forget it's an entire freakin' house she's attempting to either take down or tame. In her world, just one half-step removed from our own, buildings are living, breathing, sentient creatures, loyal to their owners, and protective of themselves. Sometimes they do go rogue, however, and battling a multilevel dwelling that can crush you with a single step is a task best left to the professionals.



There are so many little touches here that keep the reader engaged, long after the initial novelty has worn off. Cartledge does something interesting with the idea of haunted houses that I quite liked; the twist on the proverbial Housing Association is a bit obvious, perhaps, but fun; and the mythology of the Jabberhouse is almost worthy of a story all on its own. There's a definite insect influence throughout the story, but it's never dwelt upon, allowing it to be just another part of the story/setting that occasionally pokes you in the arm and smiles back from the page.



The characters are a bit thin and lacking in emotion, but serviceable; the world-building is extraordinary; and the action very well-done. On the surface, there appeared to be some continuity/editing gaffes, but by the end I was wondering if they were intentional, and part of the story . . . which wouldn't surprise me for the genre. I was concerned about where it was all headed, and whether the conclusion could live up to the tale, but it's an entirely satisfying end to an interesting tale.

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Waiting On Wednesday - The Best of all Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Best of all Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

February 12



Karen Lord’s debut novel, the multiple-award-winning Redemption in Indigo, announced the appearance of a major new talent—a strong, brilliantly innovative voice fusing Caribbean storytelling traditions and speculative fiction with subversive wit and incisive intellect. Compared by critics to such heavyweights as Nalo Hopkinson, China Miéville, and Ursula K. Le Guin, Lord does indeed belong in such select company—yet, like them, she boldly blazes her own trail.



Now Lord returns with a second novel that exceeds the promise of her first. The Best of All Possible Worlds is a stunning science fiction epic that is also a beautifully wrought, deeply moving love story.



A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression, and the survivors have no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world, to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but come to discover that in order to preserve their culture, they may have to change it forever.



Now a man and a woman from these two clashing societies must work together to save this vanishing race—and end up uncovering ancient mysteries with far-reaching ramifications. As their mission hangs in the balance, this unlikely team—one cool and cerebral, the other fiery and impulsive—just may find in each other their own destinies . . . and a force that transcends all.





I'm a sucker for a good story about alien cultures and first-contact, and something about this one just resonates with me.

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The Newfoundland Vampire by Charles O'Keefe (REVIEW)

Let's face it, with a title like The Newfoundland Vampire and a cover like the one to the left, your expectations are pretty well established before you even turn to the first page. I mean, really, nobody goes into a vampire novel like this expecting the Gothic melodrama of Anne Rice or the supernatural terror of Brian Lumley. Instead, invited in by the author, we enter of our own free will, looking for a little fun and entertainment . . . something that Charles O'Keefe certainly provides.



Fortunately, as much as it reminded me of 80s cinematic camp, the story manages to fall on the right side of Nicholas Cage ironic, self-aware humour, à la Vampire's Kiss, rather than full-on Jim Carrey mindless parody, à la Once Bitten. It has a nostalgic feel to it (which probably dates me a bit), but also managed to surprise me often enough to keep me truly entertained.



The Newfoundland Vampire is the story of Joseph O'Reilly, just another average, ordinary, all-around nice guy (and geek), who isn't about to ditch the best looking woman to ever cross his path just because she happens to like the taste of blood - even if her ex-husband is a sadistic killer, out for revenge. Before you scoff, figuring you've heard that tale before, take note of the fact that Joseph is (or, at least, was) a vegetarian, putting a unique spin on both his reluctant vampirism and his emerging heroic sensibilities.



In terms of characters, Joseph really carries the novel, and does it well. He's a realistic, self-effacing young man to whom anyone can easily relate. O'Keefe wisely keeps him balanced, making him a geeky young man, but never a parody of that subculture. More than that, he allows Joseph to retain his humanity, questioning who and what he has become, and looking for ways to not just deal with the hand fate has dealt him, but seize the opportunity to make the most of it. Similarly, while O'Keefe doesn't necessarily add anything substantial to the vampire mythos, I liked the way he approached it, especially with the logical little extrapolations of how and why they hunger the way they do.



If I were to have one complaint, it's that O'Keefe tries to do too many genres at once, merging romance, action, and humour, often a little awkwardly. There's definitely a Buffy/Angel influence here, albeit one that's gender-swapped and turned on its head, but it feels as if the greatest potential has yet to be realized. Despite that, it's a fun read, and one that shows great promise.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

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About the Author :

Charles O’Keefe lives in the beautiful province of Newfoundland, Canada, with his wife and two feline ‘children,’ Jude and Esther. He works as an inventory manager and enjoys many hobbies and activities that include writing, reading, watching fantasy/science-fiction movies and television shows, gaming, poker, walking, acting, and of course fantasizing about vampires.



www.charlesokeefe.com

http://p45crok.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/TheNLVampire

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=826155483

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My Writing Habits by Charles O'Keefe (author of The Newfoundland Vampire)

                For me writing is a time to
relax, to dream, to fantasize about mythical creatures and imagine how my life
could have turned out differently if I had made different choices. I know some
people can write in public places with all sorts of noise and people around but
for me I need quiet, solitude and something to look at. I also find that
generally I am at my most creative in the morning. For me the best writing
occurs when I’ve had a good night’s sleep, get up at 6 or 6:30 and start
writing by 7 or 7:30 AM.

                I also find that I need an
outline. I like to have a clear idea of where I’m headed in a story so I always
plan a novel at least two or three chapters ahead of time. Before I write I
have a look at my outline (especially if I’m at the end of a chapter). Also at
least once a month I look over the tips my esteemed editor, Pat, gave me from
my first book (this was done during the writing of book 1 as well). I find that
generally I only write in short bursts, 20-30 minutes tops then I’ll look out
the window, possibly check my e-mail or pet one of my cats if they happen to be
on the table with me. Generally I do most of my writing at home but since my
wife gave me an iPad for my birthday a few months back I find myself using that
to do a little writing if I’m at a book signing, a flea market, on a train,
boat or plane. A friend gave me the idea of writing just 1 page a day,
surprisingly by sticking with that I found writing to come along quickly and
before I knew it (well 8 months for the first, 4.5 months for the second) the
rough draft was done.

With
my first book published, I also find it useful to keep a copy of “The Newfoundland Vampire” nearby, it
serves as both an inspiration and a guide as I work on book 2. For me I try to
write about places that I’ve been (or wish I’d been) and either way I like to
look at pictures of that place before I write the scene. As the main character,
Joseph, is about 90% me, it is always a lot of fun to revisit these places in
my mind and see how I would act differently in my imaginary world. For some
scenes I try to imagine the whole thing in my mind and then get it down on the
screen as accurately as possible.

When
it comes to personal preference, I find I enjoy writing the sex, action and
humor scenes the most. The best scenes for me just fly out of my brain and I
worry about cleaning up dialogue, punctuation and grammar at later time. While
I’m certain writing could be taken a scientific approach for me its artistic
expression and the best way I have to communicate my ideas and feelings to the
world.

-Thanks
so much to Bob for hosting, much appreciated! If you haven’t checked it out yet
perhaps you’d like to see the first fruit of my labour, The Newfoundland Vampire, I hear it’s
got bite (sorry couldn’t resist! ;)

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

About the Author :

Charles O’Keefe lives in the beautiful province of Newfoundland, Canada, with his wife and two feline ‘children,’ Jude and Esther. He works as an inventory manager and enjoys many hobbies and activities that include writing, reading, watching fantasy/science-fiction movies and television shows, gaming, poker, walking, acting, and of course fantasizing about vampires.



www.charlesokeefe.com

http://p45crok.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/TheNLVampire

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=826155483

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Feature and Follow Friday

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

Question of the Week: If you could choose one supernatural being/creature to really exist, what would it be, and why?

That's a tough one. Old-school vampires are cool, but I'm no hunter, so I don't like my odds for survival. Faeries could be interesting, but I suspect having them around would be too much like playing the lottery - it would always be somebody else benefiting from their magic. Call me crazy, but since the odds of survival are likely to be slim with most supernatural beings anyway, I'm going to go all out and choose dragons. Yeah, they're likely to burn down your house, eat your pets, and either crush you or reduce you to ashes . . . but what a final vision to take to your grave!

Parajunkee also hosts a Social Hop for Facebook and Twitter, which I regularly take part in. So, if you're one of those people who aren't on Blogger, or who just don't like Google Friend Connect, it's a great way to keep in touch and follow one another.

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