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Feudal World with Just a Touch of Magic – Forest Lessons, The Paladin’s Assistant by Jason Venter
From my bookshelf… Edmund, a privileged teen prone to carousing, gets himself into deep trouble in this fictional, feudalistic kingdom. His respected father arranges to send him away as assistant to one of the church’s paladins. They are sent to catch the killer in a remote logging camp terrorized by gruesome murders.
The characters and setting are realistic, with just a touch of magic in the story, and Edmund’s problems as a directionless young man make him relatable. His coming-of-age involves meeting people far from his wealthy home, grudgingly learning from his new mentor’s advice, and dealing with a crush on the camp-leaders wife.
The author created a compelling mystery within his fantasy world. Despite his experience as an investigator, the paladin gets no closer to stopping the killer, and Edmund follows false leads right to the end. While a murderer provides the frame, Edmund’s journey – to the far outpost and to a better understanding of the people around him – form the core of the story.
I enjoyed this short novel and found no dull parts to skim over (I’m an inveterate skimmer!) The book is a complete story, which is good news to those of you who hate cliffhanger endings. There are two more books in the series, and the author promises each one can be read alone.
Find Forest Lessons on Amazon by clicking here.
Tags: New Adult & College Fantasy, Myth & Legend Fantasy, Coming of Age, Adventure
Hundred-year-old Skirmishes Gave Way to Cross-Border Friendship – Columbus, New Mexico Cabalgata
I recently attended the Cabalgata Binacional (Fiesta de Amistad) in Columbus, New Mexico, held annually on a Saturday near the anniversary of Poncho Villa’s raid on the town over 100 years ago. The adjoining Pancho Villa State Park hosted “Camp Furlong Day” with educational talks on the 1916 raid and subsequent U.S. Punitive Expedition.
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920, and no, not Cinco de Mayo) was a civil war that General Poncho Villa lost. Reduced from commanding his once-large army to “bandido status” with a few hundred followers, he raided border towns for revenge (the US government backed his opponent) and supplies. It seems US President Woodrow Wilson was focused on World War I rather than border towns far from Washington, but was pressured into sending soldiers to chase Villa: the U.S. Punitive Expedition (which never did capture Villa.)
Since 1999, the small town of Columbus has celebrated, not their fight with raiders, but their long US/Mexican friendship. American riders meet their Mexican counterparts at the border crossing 3 miles (5 km) south. They ride together to Columbus for a fiesta. Here are some of my snapshots.
Then, off I went for food, cold drinks, and (of course) to watch those dancers.
Caught Between Aliens Who Want to Help and Those Who Do Not – Mr Thursby by MK Alexander
From my bookshelf… This book is science fiction, but not quite First Contact, because Mr Thursby has been on Earth since 1948. The story grabbed me from from the very beginning, when the White House receives a warning that our planet will soon be destroyed. The call comes from a phone booth (those are still around?) in Schenectady, New York. Not at all where I’d expect such a story to start. Which is delightful.
Agents assigned to track down the caller find he’s a man who died in 1948. At least, that sure seems to be the guy they meet in a diner near the phone booth. He can’t be human, can he? A more imaginative character than most powerful sci-fi aliens I encounter.
Early in the story, humans are helpless. A gamma ray burst is headed toward Earth and there’s absolutely nothing we can do, but luckily, an alien race has decided to save us. But Thursby’s not the only alien around. An invasion is underway by beings that are not actually alive, and not humanoid in appearance, except when they want to be, and they terrify our protector.
Problems multiply for the agents, who are believable characters I enjoyed. Who can they trust as the invasion accelerates? Separating friends and enemies is harder than expected, and the tale expands beyond Earth into the galaxy. As one reader on Amazon said, “fun read that reminds you of the best of the Twilight Zone.”
I read every word of this story, and I’m an incorrigible skimmer. If you enjoy science fiction, I recommend Mr Thursby.
I found Mr Thursby on Amazon, but I see you can also buy the book at imusic.uk.
Tags: Science fiction, Alien Invasion, First Contact, gamma rays, book review, book recommendation, scifi book
Kate's Science - Real and Fantastic 