Of Light & Shadow by S R Westcott

There has always been good and evil, right and wrong, shadow and light ... there has always been a balance ... until now.

Of Light & Shadow tells the story of Duncan Conners who starts this story as a trainee priest suffering a crisis of faith. With feelings that he is not cut out for the priesthood he is pushed towards a different destiny with the death of Father Mason, his friend and mentor. Duncan begins to feel that his friend’s death may not have been an accident and when he finds himself continuing Father Mason’s research he is confronted with more and more mysteries. This draws Duncan to Turkey where he discovers his true destiny and a shocking revelation about his origins.

The plot to this story hits you straight away and the pace is kept up throughout the whole book. Each page pushes you on and there are no lulls in the narrative. Character interplay is what leads this story through its twists and turns. Each of the players in this tale are well rounded and have a feeling of depth to them. Duncan Conners himself feels like an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary events and this allows you to build a real empathy for his adventures. From the start Duncan is at the mercy of powers and events far beyond his control or understanding and you are taken along for the ride.  

Turkey plays host to most of the events within this tale and as a setting for the story it feels right. The sense of place is well conveyed and beautifully written by the author. In fact the narrative style is excellent and very easy to read. Many books that use the supernatural and Christian mythology can become heavy and ponderous to read. Although this book avoids this I did feel I wanted more detail on the alternative Christian tradition that the story relies on so heavily. I was left with more questions than answers at the end of the story, but as this is only the first in the Duncan Conners trilogy I may find my answers in the two subsequent titles.

There were a few twists in the book that I didn’t anticipate and the ending did take me by surprise. This doesn’t happen too often and it is always a delight when it does. Overall this was an enjoyable easy read, but for me it lacked a little meat. I would have preferred more depth to the mythology used in the book as well as a few less unanswered questions. These criticisms may be a little unfair as this is only the first part of the trilogy and are in truth minor nit picking on my part. Of Light & Shadow was an enjoyable distraction on a long train journey and has the potential of being a good foundation for a first rate trilogy.

A respectable 4.5 stars

Reviewed by Darkiss

Prester John by Wayne Johnson

Alex and Marcus, have become bored of their stressful boring lives in the big city. To re-invigorate themselves they decide to quit their jobs and go back-packing around south-east Asia and Australia.

However, nothing is quite what it seems; and their journey takes on a sinister twist, when an email purporting to be from a mythical medieval Priest King called Prester John lands in Alex’s inbox just before their departure.

The quest which they undertake leads them to strange lands and countries far off theirs, or anyone else’s itinerary, until Alex is forced to face up to a flippant decision he made as a child which could have horrendous consequences for the whole world. Book Description.

Normally this would not be a book that I would read, but the subject matter of Prester John intrigued me as he is mentioned during my reading of the Crusades, and is a character ripe for story telling.

The start for me was a little slow and a bit obvious, but the two main characters were written well and came across as real friends. The story was written at a decent pace with enough twists that you couldn't become bored though for me it was an easy read as I think I was expecting something a bit longer and more in depth. No new concepts in the story, though I did read it without breaks which speaks well of it's ability to keep you with the story and it is entertaining with interesting avenues for further exploration.

Overall I would say that because it is any easy read with no new concepts just good old fashioned storytelling a younger audience would appreciate it more, but the potential is good.

Book Rating : 3.5 Stars 

Regards, 

Cardmon

You maYou may purchase Prester John here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Drifters by Toby Andersen

Book Description:

The year is 2185 and orbital wars have reduced Earth’s surface to uninhabitable toxic waste. The only survivors reside in space stations and moon colonies throughout the solar system owned and controlled by a ruthless dictatorial businessman.

Reagan Valkiers, Captain of the spaceship Routillier, has been completing dangerous missions for the rebellion for too long. He wants out. When he and his crew of drifters receive a tip off to follow their rivals off station, and through the Earth perimeter defense force, what they find could be the perfect excuse. A pod, fired from the surface, drifting in space, which when opened, reveals a green-haired mutant woman.

But the crews have interrupted her mission. Now they must travel the solar system, in order to learn Eden’s purpose, and help her fulfill it, evading capture by those who want her dead. Their journey will make them fugitives, test their resolve, skills and loyalties and take them beyond the Lunatic Fringe, the point of no return, in their pursuit of answers.

Watch out world, we have a new and upcoming Sci-fi author named Toby Andersen who recently self-published his novel “Drifters”.  This novel is full of adventure, space battles, and saving the world. “Drifters” has a lot of the common themes that you see throughout Sci-fi novels. However the authors writing style is what makes this book a very fun read. Which was a very pleasant surprise for Sci-fi is not normally on my reading list.

“Drifters” follows the crew of the “Routillier” and their Captain Regean Valkiers, as they attempt to break free from the hold of the Rebellion leader and striking a blow to Devereux’s utopia empire by thwarting a recovery mission of a “Pod” shot from Earth which is uninhabitable. Valkiers and his crew take on a mission to find “Eden’s” purpose that leads them to the brink of insanity and in that darkness they find the will to survive.

I loved the Characters in this book! The author did a fantastic job of fleshing them out very slowly. Each member of the crew of the “Routillier” is different and has a specific place on the ship. They are outcasts or loners and through luck Captain Valkiers was able to bring them all together. The characters were introduced a bit slowly in the beginning, but as the story progressed there were flash backs that gave great depth and insight into their personalities and behaviors. The flashbacks are really what brought the characters to life, I was able to connect to them on an emotional level, which can only be done by knowing someone’s “Story”. The Villains are cold, uncaring and only think of their own survival and I found myself wanting them to be taken down.  My favorite character was Captain Valkiers, for years he followed orders and carried out missions, but as alliances deteriorate we see him for the first time taking charge and becoming a leader. His decisions will affect his crew and the human race for lifetimes to come. 

The plot is a woven masterpiece and I am was very impressed how the author was able to move the story along with many different events to merge together in a dramatic conclusion. One thing that stood out and I found very helpful were the “Nod Casts” which you will find at the beginning of each chapter that gives you background that really ties the story together. This adds a different feel to book and helps move the plot along.  I loved Toby Andersen’s writing style he was able to blend the action, technology and still pull your heart strings. There were a few grammatical errors which a good editor would be able to fix but other than that the book was very well written and easy to follow. Sci-fi novels are not easy to write and I can expect that we can only see this young author’s writing get even better.

To sum things up, this book is fantastic and if you love Sci-fi adventures then this is a must read.Toby Andersen has a second book in the works and I can’t wait to read what happens next to Captain Valkiers and his crew.  I am giving this book a well-deserved 5 Stars! 

                                          5 Stars! 

You may purchase "Drifters" here: DarkissReads Store

You may find Toby Andersen on the web here :

http://www.tobyandersen.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/kafkatuyen

Reviewed by Witchofthemists.