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Kevin Peter's Book Reviews

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KevinPeterKP
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The Kid I Knew – A review of the novel ‘Lone Horseman’

“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Long before the age of reason, men looked up at the sky through their telescopes in an attempt to find intelligent life and other worlds in the universe, all the while ignoring the intelligent life that exists in front of them and the magical and mesmerising world they live in. While many people consider the possibilities for achievement the human mind and body are capable of, very few travel that path, and so very seldom do men achieve the ultimate satisfaction of becoming who they were meant to be.

Author Richard Dawes returns with a brand new novel ‘Lone Horseman’ which is the fifth title in the Tucson Kid Western series. This brand new saga of the Tucson Kid finds him accompanying a father and daughter on a cattle drive from Nevada to Arizona. A young girl of eighteen, Nora Eddington, seeks new experiences and adventures before going off to college to become a writer. And new experiences are exactly what she gets on this trip. The Tucson Kid as usual is at the forefront of bringing justice to a violent situation, and is also instrumental in transforming this naive but intelligent girl into a mature young woman.

Lone Horseman is different from the other books in the series. The author has narrated the tale from the perspective of a woman recounting her experience of meeting and spending time with the Tucson Kid. And this is where it gets so interesting, because it is fascinating to see how easily Richard slips into the voice of Nora, the ‘writer’ of the Tucson saga in this book. It’s also interesting to see the different ways the story of the Tucson Kid can now be told, since he has already become an established literary hero. That being said, the book still retains all of the elements that make this series so enjoyable, the action, the romance and the intellectual word play are all there. But unlike the lone mission plot line of other books in the series, here it has a more episodic feel with Nora remembering each and every incident and ‘fight’ that furthers the myth of the Tucson Kid.

In Lone Horseman we are given a different perspective on The Tucson Kid. It's refreshing and interesting to see him through the eyes of a young girl who is also a writer. Since Nora is depicted as a keen observer, the narrative is very detailed and explorative. This time, having the companionship of a naturally curious and inquisitive woman, we get to see the Tucson Kid open up more, and are able to get a better understanding of the inner workings of his psyche. And Tucson as usual is at his intellectual and philosophical best when he’s not shooting people down.

For fans of the series, reading about their favourite Kid in a new light will be a unique experience. For new readers, it will give insight into the writing prowess of Richard Dawes who has successfully created this alternate female voice to tell the tale of this magnificent fighter. Lone Horseman is in some ways a genre defying book for it makes you think a lot and savour the great insight into the human mind that Richard so effortlessly narrates through the Kid.

Life altering and life affirming, the tale of Lone Horseman is as much about Nora Eddington as it is about the Tucson Kid. Called to leave the normal, consensual world given to her by her parents, Nora must step into the dark and dangerous world of struggle, power and achievement inhabited by Tucson. It’s a new direction the author has taken with this book and this effort must be applauded and appreciated. Lone Horseman has made the wait for the next book in the series ‘Comanche Gold’ much more exciting!
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Last Man Standing – A review of the novel ‘South of Good’

“Adventure is not outside man; it is within” - George Eliot

Author Randall Reneau’s latest novel ‘South of Good’ is the first in a series of Hardin Steel books with its titular protagonist Hardin Steel. Stainless to those close to him, Hardin is an ex DEA officer turned elected sheriff of a small county in Texas. When Rory, his girlfriend gets kidnapped due to his association with a long time friend Wes Stoddard, a drug running pilot; that’s when everything starts going south. Hardin and his PI friend Buck and Wes have to now deal with Mexican drug cartels, a Russian Mercenary and Cuban gangs and also find a way out of the various dangers which seem to be creeping up on them from all sides.

South of Good introduces Hardin Steel as the sheriff / vigilante dishing out justice to those who deserve it; he is a rugged adventure seeking hero who always seems to be one step ahead of his antagonists. The good thing about author Randall Reneau’s writing is that he seems very sure of what he has set out to do. There isn’t any trickery or trying to sensationalize the story or awe the reader with poetic prose. He is a good old story teller in the truest sense of the word, someone who is in complete control of the pacing of the story and the dialogues his characters speak. His main focus isn’t necessarily on concealing the ‘mystery’ in the adventure story but rather on great characterizations and this is what drives the story forward too. He manages to catch hold of the reader’s attention early on and leaves them always wanting more. And that is where the beautifully crafted character of Hardin comes in handy, because no matter what else is going on in the background, you will always be thinking about what Hardin’s next move will be and guessing how he will react next. Along with him, Randall has created some interesting supporting characters as well and they float in and out of the story overwhelmed by our hero.

Even though this is the first book in the series, Randall has created his characters and given them such settings that it is more than implied that they all have been in each other’s lives for a long time. You have to hand it over to Randall for the unpretentious ease with which the plot lines and themes come to him, almost as if he has been living this alternate life of the protagonist in secret. Balancing economy of words with reading fluidity, Randall Reneau has created a highly detailed and accurate landscape for his characters to operate out of. By establishing the flavour and the routine the characters follow in this book, he has already made it easy for the readers to acclimatise and look forward to the rest of the books in the series. And having a super villain like Frederick Ochoa and making Hardin come one up on Ochoa every time is pure guilty pleasure inducing material.

At the end, it’s hard to say who has left you more impressed, the no-nonsense hero Hardin Steel or his creator Randall Reneau. South of Good is a masterful example of how a talented author can manipulate readers at a very visceral level with quick pacing and rapid development of the plot that helps to create a sense of tension that begins on the first page and never lets up. With an excellent plot, well drawn characters and detailed descriptions of red hot scenarios, this should easily find top slot in any reader’s wishlist.
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Ties that bind us – A review of the novel ‘The Lion Trees’

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans” - John Lennon

As I finished reading the novel which fully deserves that loosely and widely used epithet ‘magnum opus’, I realized that The Lion Trees was much more than what it claims to be and definitely wiser than what I could comprehend in the first reading. And yet, it is those first impressions that matter most of the time and of which I’m about to share with you. As I close my eyes and look back at the book, certain images that my mind crafted while reading this novel comes alive to me in spurts and in solitary, of connecting with another individual, experiencing their angst, their remorse, their resolve, their happiness, their endings. And when I think about it, it sometimes feels like I’m drifting in and out of sleep, recollecting images from a dream that I’ve seen or perhaps one I’m seeing right now but I know they were from a book, from a novel that is as real as fictionalized reality gets or perhaps and funnily enough from pure fiction shot with an absolute dose of honest reality.

Author Owen Thomas’s two part saga on family and the lives of individuals that make up such a social unit form the base for his novel, ‘The Lion Trees’. Juxtaposing with the moral and social environment of America circa 2005, his novel reads as a part impressionistic memoir and part anecdotal account of the lives of five individuals of a family. They are the Johns family; papa Hollis, mom Susan and siblings David and Tilly’s separate narrative intertwines with each other’s and sometimes stays afloat on its own. But the one thing that unites them all is Ben, Hollis and Susan’s third child and the one constant presence in all their lives.

The character of Hollis is of a retired banker, a man of many stories, a man with odd hobbies and a stranger interest in a former colleague’s daughter. Wife Susan, the proverbial caregiver of the family increasingly finds herself contemplating her individual future separate from that of her family; looking for a more meaningful purpose to her existence. So it would be no surprise to state at this point that their marriage has hit a giant roadblock and isn’t going anywhere, a fact that is openly acknowledged by both her adult children. David is the quintessential right guy at all the wrong places, saying and doing all the wrong things. His earnestness and his almost obsessive compulsion to follow a path of righteous integrity lands him trouble more often than not. Ben, the youngest suffers from Down syndrome, is the epitome of love and innocence and a figure that resembles the allegorical home all the four characters return to whenever they go off the track. And then there’s Tilly, the only character who’s narrative transcends the linear nature of the book and we get to see her explore herself and her story in a retrospective manner down the ages from her struggles as an young aspiring starlet to an established and mature woman and actress. The Lion Trees is their story, part one deals with their falls while part two shows their revival, starting their lives afresh.

You take one look at the novel and your impulsively judgemental mind may be excused for jumping the gun and trying to categorize the novel into that of a genre with a dark theme and heavy duty drama and thinking it to be related to its similar American and Russian cousins. But by the time you are done with The Lion Trees, you would have forgotten all about the length and will realize what an amazingly entertaining piece of literature it was and do I dare say it, a serious novel that provides you with some genuine laugh out loud moments.

Owen Thomas is so sure of his writing and the unique and individual voices that he has created for his characters that he doesn’t feel the need to add (a highly distracting) ‘he said’, ‘she said’ after every line of conversation between the characters. The level of detailing is pretty amazing, even the way each character’s immediate environment has been made up to highlight and reflect on their unique personalities has been well thought out. In addition to the novel's principal characters, Owen has given us as a fine array of secondary characters as well. Their back stories and their sub plots will be relatable to most. There are some stand out scenes in the book, worth mentioning are Susan’s political speech, Angus Mann’s diatribe against Hollywood and pretty much all the scenes involving David, especially those of him teaching history to his students, his interrogation scenes and the final courtroom drama. The novel is also filled with great quotable quotes, a true book aficionado’s delight.

The Lion Trees depicts people who can’t be slotted as just saints or monsters, they fall somewhere in between, just like any of us. Owen Thomas’s writing leaves you richer with emotions and contentment even before the ending arrives. And if there is only one book that you are going to read this year, make it The Lion Trees.
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As reel as it gets – A review of the novel ‘Tossed Off the Edge’

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars” - Oscar Wilde

Hollywood, that seemingly far away magical land, the land of opportunities, the land of many dreams has seen the dreams of many fulfilled but for most of the men and women, young and old who land up on the streets with stars in their eyes, Hollywood has been nothing short of a crash course on dealing with the dark side of life. So for a place that offers success and failure in such large amounts, stories of them, about them too will be in plenty. And this is such a story, it might be a different story, it might even be a difficult story to believe in but even if we choose to believe in them or not, all stories need to be heard for there is a storyteller behind these stories, sharing with us the highs and lows, the glory and the sufferings, teaching us, warning us so that we may learn from them.

Author Patrick Brown’s second novel, ‘Tossed Off the Edge’ is a finely crafted play on the celebrity tell-all format the literary world is abound with. Without revelling in the fact that it is a faux memoir on a non-existent TV star, the author has crafted a fine fictional story based on a fictional lead all the while challenging the reader’s mind to believe in and invest emotionally on this outlandish and part sympathetic mega television figure. Sheila Wozniak is the person behind the persona of the rags to riches story of the starlet; she has invested four decades of her career into playing Regina Knight, the lead and perhaps the most important character in the day time soap opera ‘The Edge of Conflict’. And after an extended reign at the top, when the show’s and her character’s popularity is on the wane, the television studio fires her. But if there is one thing Ms. Wozniak has successfully mastered after all these years is to always land on her feet and the ability to salvage whatever is left of her career and her image in the public arena. She gets an opportunity from a publishing house to pen her memoir and she employs the former head writer from her old TV show, who is also curiously named Patrick Brown. Thus then begins the narration of a wild and crazy story about an aspiring actress’s struggles, her family and the people who have come into contact with her. And whenever Ms. Wozniak’s narration transcends into the absurd and delusional variety, writer Patrick Brown is always close by with an array of finely researched footnotes to keep Sheila Wozniak’s active imagination in check.

In ‘Tossed Off the Edge’ Patrick Brown presents plenty of the nasty behind-the-scenes details of the television world, especially that of day time soap operas and its lead actors. The unreasonable demands of the long serving cast members, the inexplicable story lines churned out by writers, the asinine management by television executives, it’s all there. But don’t get me wrong, it is never presented as to ridicule the format itself, in fact at some levels the author is even kind of in awe of this format and its work ethics. And when you think about it, it is true to a certain extent, when we compare it to the alternatives that are the 24 hour news channels which brings us more depressing news than pleasant ones and the so called un-scripted ‘reality’ television, which is an even bigger farce than anything these soap operas churns out. While it may be fiction, this fiction takes itself very seriously as to adapt many contemporary and socially relevant themes as part of its broadcast.

Tossed Off the Edge not only chronicles the made up show's rich history, but it also offers an unpretentious and unapologetic insight into the lead character of Regina Knight played by Sheila Wozniak. Now Ms. Wozniak is everything you imagine her to be and some more, she is extremely self centred but surprisingly never gets truly annoying and all her stories have a hint of fantasy about them. Patrick Brown’s imagination is so vivid and yet appears thoroughly researched that by the end of the book you are sure to hit the search engines searching for Sheila Wozniak and a show called ‘The Edge of Conflict.’ Now even though this book has been written as a humorous play on the tell-all celebrity memoirs, there is quite an emotional depth to the story and it really has a surprising tone of sadness and quiet empathy that you will feel towards this made up character. And at other times Patrick seems to be having a whale of a time taking jabs at our idiosyncrasies, hypocrisies and moral values. The footnotes provided serve a dual function, they not only make you read the book twice but they also end up cracking you up with an astonishing regularity.

Tossed Off the Edge is a great excuse to laugh at our many contemporary and contemptible values. And you are bound to fall in love with this character of Sheila Wozniak who is hypocritical and so full of her herself and yet feels so real and like someone you’ve know your entire life. And perhaps this is a reflection on the times we live, because this fake memoir is more fun and real than some of the ‘real’ ones out there in the market today.
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A Soul Story – A review of the novel ‘Locker Rooms’

“Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean” - David Searls

Death encompasses us all, death doesn’t discriminate, it doesn’t care if you are a man or a woman, young or old, rich or poor and more importantly good or bad, everything alive must die one day, but what happens afterwards? A lot of people have theories, about afterlife and souls, various religions too propagate such ideas and the public are free to believe what they want. But what if there were souls and what if our souls couldn’t get an automatic entry into either heaven or hell after our death? What if there were middle men, evil middle men with vicious intentions to lock you up in an everlasting purgatory, what would you do then?

Author Patty Lesser’s new novel ‘Locker Rooms’ narrates the story of Alida, a bipolar character leading a quiet life in suburban Canada and who is also the recent winner of a 10 million dollar lottery payout. Alida alternates between being impulsive, moody and solitary to being driven, outgoing and courageous. When she purchases an old mansion with her new earnings, little does she realize that her new home has secret tunnels leading up to rooms with even stranger looking lockers in them. Alida quickly realizes that these are no ordinary lockers and they are in fact a prison for innocent souls captured by a demon that goes by the name Shad. When Alida interferes in the demon’s work and tries to free the souls, her whole life is turned upside down and she quickly gets involved in a fight between evil and an even bigger evil. Turning up as her allies are a couple of souls she has freed from the lockers who support and help her in this fight against evil.

The centrepiece of Patty Lesser’s book isn’t that it deals with ghosts, demons and other paranormal elements; it does but it is her main lead that makes this book truly interesting. The character of Alida is a non conformist and a closed personality, revealing very little about her and quick to change the subject whenever the topic gets too personal. Alida’s character is unpredictable but that is also what makes her so exciting to get to know and in terms of use as a narrative tool, having such an unpredictable lead character constantly keeps the reader in check as you are never sure as to what her next move is going to be. Alida truly is the heart and soul of Locker Rooms.

A sense of mystery envelopes the narrative right from the word go and never lets up until the very last page. A recurring theme of the book seems to be that everything happens for a reason and you have to keep your senses sharp and your mind open to accept changes, whatever form they may come in. And even though there are some farfetched ideas being discussed, you tend to go along with the flow since the writing’s good and precise. At first, the experience of conversing with timid and polite spirits are an oddity when the constant image you have of spirits are of the haunting kind but you soon get used to it. There are a lot of pop culture references with regards to many popular films and books which are repeated throughout the book. There are references to biblical passages as well but it has not been overdone. And it also has quite possibly and arguably the greatest sex with a ghost since Ghost the movie. There is an epic battle with Shad and Lucifer towards the end which is very graphic and pretty much how you would imagine when two strong and warring evil forces tee off. It has some very nicely etched out secondary characters as well, the many spirits Alida frees are all distinctive personalities and their back stories too are convincing. Oliver, the spirit that hangs around the longest and Alida’s romantic interest is the perfect arm candy and serves his purpose in the book justly.

Patty Lesser’s book may be a romance novel with a paranormal edge or a spooky thriller peppered with a love story, whichever way you look at it, is still a good combination of heart-warming and hair raising scenes. The novel very delicately challenges one’s ready acceptance of one's fate, beliefs and ideals and leaves you entertained, informed and inspired. The small town setting with its few but compelling characters and riveting story line make this an easy read for the season.
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The Rage Countdown – A review of the novel ‘Beneath Scarlett Valley’

“Sometimes we seek that which we are not yet ready to find” - Libba Bray

Even though we may not like to acknowledge it, we all walk around hiding behind a mask. That layer of curtain between us and others is often used to mask our own insecurities. The ironical thing about these insecurities is that, it’s not our failings and our shortcomings that we are afraid to reveal to the world but rather it’s our strengths and things that make us who we are that we are afraid to show. Being honest, being ‘you’ troubles a lot of people because we think for others, of how they will perceive us even before they had a chance to get to know us. So it’s no wonder that old adage, the truth will set you free still holds true. Revealing your true identity will liberate you and set you free, even if it causes a few heart aches in the process, it’s still the right way to move ahead.

Author Kerr-Ann Dempster’s novel ‘Beneath Scarlett Valley’, the first book in the Scarlett Valley Series narrates the story of two beautiful sisters, Harper and Cassidy. Apart from being pretty which they don’t try to hide from the world, they have a far bigger secret which they have managed to keep to themselves for centuries. They are in fact a special species, half human and half creature called Furor. They never age, can heal themselves and have an insatiable bloodlust to kill, not to dominate or feed but simply because it’s in their nature. But to replenish their immortality, they need to drink from the Source of Immortality; otherwise the fire coursing through their veins will consume them from within. This search leads Cassidy to Scarlett Valley high school which is believed to be the place where the Source is hidden but she has to first deal with the many distractions in the form of handsome hunks, unrequited friendships, obnoxious teachers and a whole different breed of creatures called Seer whose mission it seems is to keep the location of the Source hidden from the Furor.

Even though Kerr-Ann Dempster’s novel is a mix of mythology, YA romance and a lot of thrills, she has been able to provide due justice to all segments equally. She has captured the high school scene very well, especially that of a new student, not to mention a clear misfit trying to fit in within the microcosm of the outside social life that exists within the walls of any high school. Another thing she has got spot on is the relationship between the sisters Harper and Cassidy, the conversation pieces between them, the little nuances in their interpersonal dealings are all nicely dealt with and it just proves one thing, it doesn’t matter if you are an angel or a monster but sisters everywhere act and talk alike. Now Harper sometime does comes across as the manipulative kind but Cassidy’s co-dependency ensures that Harper isn’t to blame entirely for the faults in their relationship.

The writing is precise and goes from point A to B without much fuzz, the chapters are small and easy to read and as far as the structuring is concerned it is very well edited and this has ensured that the pacing of the book is in tune with the requirements of the genre. Highlights worth mentioning are Cassidy’s and Mr. Bruckner’s ‘confrontation’, which comes like a bolt out of the blue and will shock you and provides the necessary energy and impetus to the story which then kicks into overdrive from there on. The writing in the climax scene is just brilliant, it has got everything going for it and all the right emotions have been packed into these few pages, the heartbreak and the betrayal too has been captured nicely. Sebastian and Cassidy’s relationship graph has been treated very well and has got all the essentials that one would expect to see in such romances and should find ready acceptance with the readers.

The clean language and imagery should widen the appeal of this book to all sorts of readers both young and old. And in the end, even though revelations like Liam’s real identity and the transformation of the Wick brothers doesn’t end the book on a cliff-hanger note, it still leaves you in anticipation for the sequel which is bound to come out in a few months time.
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All that glitters – A review of the novel ‘Comanche Gold’

“People do not seem to realise that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beyond the romanticized notions of the old west and the falsely propagated ideals of the real man, there exists certain characters whose brutal actions have taken away the choice of others by the use of the gun and the suppression of free will. In such a setting, it is necessary that a force rises to restore the balance of power & the freedom of choice to men.

Author Richard Dawes’ latest novel ‘Comanche Gold’ is the sixth book in the Tucson Kid Western series. Heeding a call for help sent out by a Comanche chief, Tucson intervenes on the Comanche's behalf to keep greedy white men off their reservation after gold has been discovered. The trouble is instigated by Charles Durant, the owner of the biggest bank and the de facto leader of the nearby town, Howling Wolf. The town supplies a regular mix of villainous snakes who try to stop Tucson from carrying out his mission. But the same land provides a few allies for Tucson who give him aid and comfort. In the town of Howling Wolf, the Kid demonstrates once again that he isn’t dependent only upon his gun skills to prevail as he battles powerful enemies.

It’s fun to watch the enigma of Tucson and the pull of his power as he impacts the townspeople when he rides into town. Tucson hasn’t changed much from the person you’ve come to know, his existentialist persona is still intact and he still advocates finding one’s true purpose in life. This time out, Tucson isn’t thrown into action immediately and some time is spent delineating his character, pretty much revelling in the admiration and the hero worship that others show toward him. Comanche Gold moves along at a more languid pace, and there isn't a thrill a minute in these pages, but a more measured display of his amazing fighting skills, all building toward an exciting finale. And just as in the previous outings, Richard Dawes describes the culture and heritage of Comanche Indians, and the native tribes – just one of the many aspects of this series that elevate it above other books in the western genre.

This book is in many ways perfect for readers who are being introduced to the series for the first time. You will see and understand the man and his philosophy and experience his extraordinary ability with his guns. A case in point is his confrontation with Ramon Vasquez and Wolf Cabot, two murderous gunmen who attempt to ambush him in a gunfight. Tucson’s relationship with women in the books is always special. They're filled with lots of sensuality without neglecting respect and chivalry. And it's no different in Comanche Gold where Tucson's relationship with Catherine Murry is given the usual treatment.

Charles Durant is a special villain in that even though he doesn’t get as much space as the villains in this series usually get, he is still a very strong antagonist for Tucson and not merely a cardboard cut-out of how a ‘bad’ person should be. One scene that stood out for me was Tucson’s and Catherine’s exchange of thoughts as they ride along a trail together. Another memorable scene was the one where Tucson and Durant discuss the future of government and governance. They are some of the most intellectually stimulating ideas and thoughts you will find in a fictional genre of this kind. Another scene I enjoyed for brilliant writing technique was after Tucson is captured by Charles Durant's henchmen. In his escape, the stealth and secrecy involved was captured with superb artistry.

Comanche Gold is a well written Western that goes far beyond what an ordinary Western does and will hold your attention throughout. Richard Dawes has proved once again that he is an expert when it comes to writing an interesting, fast paced story that will leave you wanting a follow up on the main character; which shouldn't be a long wait since the next book in the series, Chinatown, is due for release soon.
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All in the family – A review of the novel ‘Harrington Manor’

“It’s miraculous how the shallow can injure in such a profound way” - Anna Jae

A family is in many ways reminiscent of a fruit bearing tree, you have the strong trunk that is the matriarch or patriarch supporting the weight of many that are dependent on it. And just like with trees, all it takes is a single rotten member to spoil everything and bring down the whole family along with it. So it becomes critical to identify & weed out the troublemaker at the earliest.

Ronald M. James’s novel ‘Harrington Manor’ takes you to 1920’s California and into the heart of murder mysteries and other sinister criminal frivolities happening within the vast expanse of Orange County, land owned by wealthy families. The Harrington family is headed by the patriarch with the army background, Peter also known as the Colonel, his wife Corrina and their four children, Sheppard, Reginald, Margot and Orson; they are as different from each other as it gets. While the elder two sons, Shepp & Reggie are always at loggerheads with their father to gain control over his vast finances, Margot is still in the process of discovering herself and ironically it’s only the non conformist son, Orson who shows any interest in carrying forward the farming business of the family. But when a couple of Harrington members start dropping dead, it raises a lot of questions and accusations fly thick & fast across warring family members which soon piques interest in the local law enforcement agency. Detective and not inspector Sidney Snipes enters the scene and starts an investigation which reveals such terrifying truths to the Harrington family as it does to the reader.

Ronald’s writing has this charming prose that will hook you in with its poetic brilliance hardly a sentence into the book. The narrative intervenes smoothly with the back stories of each of the characters along with that of the main story, doing full justice to both. All members of the family, including the butler Charles have been given enough space for us to explore their personalities in detail. There are small things that go a long way in creating the perfect atmosphere the author wants the reader to envision and one of these things in this book is the careful selection of the words and the general vocabulary which is consistent with the background and the time in which the story is set in.

Almost half way mark into the book and after the occurrence of a major event, the book shifts into a different gear and from there on, the pace and the mood of the book changes quite dramatically. The writing, especially when it comes to dialogue writing deserves special mention; the back and forth snappy dialogues between the main players are a definite highlight. It is also a masterful ability to be able to show each character’s personality by modulating their dialogues in order to create a separate & unique identity for each of them. You can in fact almost picture these characters as actors in a movie mouthing these dialogues with different accents and slangs.

One understated element of this murder mystery novel is the abundance of natural humor that is ever present in these lines, it’s never forced humor for its sake but rather it comes across effortlessly because of the differences and quirks in each character. You will be surprised at how often you will find yourself smiling and chuckling away as you are reading some of these passages. The investigation and interrogation scenes involving detective Sidney Snipes are some of the best scenes in the book. The editing too is top notch and the plot twists and turns will leave you amazed and you will never be sure of who the actual culprit is till it is revealed to you at the end.

There are a lot of individual sequences which when combined together makes this novel fully worth your time. The characters, the slick prose and the snappy dialogues all combine to make this a memorable work. I recommend this book not only to mystery lovers, but also to anyone who wants to read a well written book. And the only spoiler I will give you is that it’s a murder mystery novel about a wealthy family with a butler and no, it’s not the butler.
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Warrior Poet – A review of the novel ‘Tears of a Heart’

“Patience is the virtue that forges great men” - Chris Vincent

Something that’s common and significant amongst all life forms in this world is that period when you shed all the bonds that tie you to your childhood and stand within the cusp of adulthood. The changes are same everywhere, the loss of innocence, gaining a deeper understanding and discovering newer truths about ourselves, physically, emotionally and intellectually. You will experience a definitive shift in your perspective and will have a greater realization of your place in this world.

Author Chase Blackwood’s novel, ‘Tears of a Heart’ is the first book in the Kan Savasci Cycle series of books. It narrates the tale of a boy Kirin D'Velt, a rebel and a daydreamer and the lone son of a murdered father. His father Kovor, a village chief and all his subjects were massacred by an evil force. Left on his own, he soon joins the company of monks who take him under their wings and nurture his mind and soul. After many deliberations, internal conflicts and a change of name, Kirin/Aeden sets out on a journey in which he discovers his true purpose and fate in this world.

Chase Blackwood has a wonderful poetic prose that is put to good use in extrapolating the exotic imagery of this ‘new’ world to the readers. The power of the book is in its ability to recreate visual and auditory responses in these pages like the one we would get after watching a cinematic experience, through the use of words seemingly picked out of nature itself. The story that the author has set out to narrate is compelling and is on solid ground than anything conjured out of whimsy because it's a character driven fantasy that uses both its brain and its heart to good effect. The author goes about very delicately and intelligently introducing the world and its environment to us without ever loosing focus on the story to be told. And for a fantasy genre such as this, most of the chapters go by very quickly and doesn’t get bogged down too often. The short sentences and paragraphs ensure that the reader’s focus is constantly kept engaged and entertained.

The book is divided into four parts and each of these parts has a different and unique pace and feel to it, it’s like four different segments in the life of an individual, none of which are alike and yet have a commonality running through them, and just like life they can’t be segregated into good and bad, it’s the sum of all experiences of an individual, written by evoking moods, experiences and people that the lead character has met or come to know. One thing that can be said for sure about ‘Tears of a Heart’ is that it has a lot more character and ingenuity than other books in the fantasy genre. In fact when you look back at the novel once you are done with it, you will realize that it’s more a finely crafted allegorical novel about a boy’s coming of age story told with a few fantasy elements attached to it than an out and out fantasy novel. And the fantasy element in it is absolutely rooted in the book's world; nothing seems contrived or written just for the sake of it. And there are times when the line between fantasy and reality blurs especially when the book tries to process various thoughts and ideas discussed within a strong philosophical and spiritual aura. And then there are certain segments which really stand out, which smacks of creative brilliance and should find instant appeal amongst audiences for their visceral & intelligent quality.

I think we all have those memories of dreams that we have seen and have buried somewhere within, those wonderful moments when the unreal images transcended the barrier of our consciousness and became a definite vision. Tears of a Heart is in many ways like that, a book that transcends your reading experience to become a delicately beautiful memory.
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Re: Kevin Peter's Book Reviews

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Still excellent reviews. I have a hard time keeping up with them like this though.
I am just your typical movie nerd, postcard collector and aspiring writer.
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