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Showing posts from October, 2022

A Hideous Convention - BCB Interrogations by Krishna Raj

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  I received this book from the author Mr. Krishna Raj in exchange of a frank and honest review.  The opinions in this review are all mine and based on my reading of this book. Available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.in/Bombay-Crime-Bureau-Interrogations-investigation-ebook/dp/B0B432ZXDX From the Back Cover A car crash in the dark hours of dawn claims the lives of two passengers, leaving their seventeen-year-old son in the backseat severely injured. A procedural investigation ensues. The police detect little mystery but no foul play. Downplaying the findings of Forensics department, the police conclude that the driver had dozed off behind the wheel, leading to the fatal accident. The survivor and remaining members of the family accept this and make peace with their fate. However, the investigation takes a new twist once the Bombay Crime Bureau takes charge. Was it truly an accident, or were there darker intentions at play? A Hideous Convention - BCB Interrogations by Krishna Raj I am

Dejah Thoris: Winter's End by Dan Abnett

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  From the Back Cover Dejah Thoris has saved her world from the catastrophic End Winter. Now she must help rebuild Barsoom to its former greatness! But certain factions see benefit in keeping Barsoom cold and dark. Dejah will need help, and she may find it in the return of her true love…JOHN CARTER! Dejah Thoris: Winter's End by Dan Abnett Available at Amazon -   https://www.amazon.com/Dejah-Thoris-Winters-One-Shot-2019-ebook/dp/B08SWKL69D Winter's End is a collection of short stories that feature the characters of Barsoom in various engagements and encounters. This book acts as a sort of filler for the upcoming battle with the Longborn.  Its been decades since I picked up a non Tarzan, ERB book (Edgar Rice Burroughs for people who don't know the creator of Tarzan). I was fascinated by the adventures of earthmen in the planets of Barsoom and Cosoom (Mars and Venus respectively), although the stories written a century back are somewhat dated and smack of wholly colonial thou

The Atlantis Cipher by David Leadbeater (The Relic Hunters #2)

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  From the Back Cover A lost world. An ancient code. A deadly chase. Five ancient statues have been unearthed in South America, each containing a mysterious coded message hinting at an origin many thought impossible: the mythical world of Atlantis. As word of their discovery spreads, the prized figurines become a treasure bounty hunters will kill for. CIA agent Heidi Moneymaker calls in the only team for the job: Guy Bodie and his posse of relic-hunting thieves. If they are to find the ancient civilization, Bodie and his team must decode a series of clues—starting with the cipher on the statues themselves—that will take them across the world and to the deepest depths of the ocean. But they are not alone in their mission. Pursued by mysterious forces intent on keeping the legendary empire hidden, hunted by Chinese special forces and the relic hunters’ lethal foe, the Bratva, the team races to find the lost land—and Bodie’s enemies will stop at nothing to be the first to discover Atlanti

The Relic Hunters by David Leadbeater (The Relic Hunters #1)

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  From the Back Cover A lethal secret society. A priceless stolen treasure. A map worth killing for. Relic smuggler and expert thief Guy Bodie is a tough man in a dangerous world, loyal only to his elite team of five. But when one of them betrays him, landing Guy in a hellish Mexican prison, he finds himself making a bargain with the most unlikely new ally: the CIA. There is a catch. In return for being released from jail, Guy must work for the CIA, helping them solve the most audacious heist in history. As Guy knows, six of the Seven Wonders of the World have long been lost. But with the help of the CIA, he learns that the destroyed Statue of Zeus still exists—and it’s in the hands of a powerful secret society. A prize worth killing for is also worth dying for, and this one has left a trail of bloodshed that goes back centuries. Can Guy and his new team—a group of renegades chosen for their unique skills—hunt down the legendary relic once and for all…before they are added to its list

Dark Shadows: Year One #1: Digital Exclusive Edition by Marc Andreyko

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From the Back Cover The origin of Dark Shadows, finally revealed! How did Barnabas Collins become a bloodthirsty vampire? What tragedies befell the Collins family through the generations? All it took was one night of weakness, and Barnabas cursed his family -- and himself -- forever! The twisted tale of one of pop culture's most iconic and enduring vampires begins here! This issue features exclusive digital content.  Dark Shadows: Year One #1: Digital Exclusive Edition by Marc Andreyko, Guiu Vilanova (Illustrator) This is an origin story and we see the famed vampire Barnabas Collins, a fictional character featured first in the TV series of the same name - Dark Shadows in 1966 and which has had several other TV revivals over the years and was also played by Johnny Depp in the 2012 movie by his muse and frequent collaborator Tim Burton.  Barnabas Collins has also featured in an epic crossover with another legendary vampire Vampirella in Dark Shadows Vampirella a comic produced by Dyn

A Perry Mason Mystery - The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister by Erle Stanley Gardner (Case 42)

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  From the Back Cover Perry Mason was retained to protect the interests of the Bain family, who were being blackmailed with an audio confession of a crime they didn't commit. Mason manages to erase the recording right out from under their nose, but then finds himself defending Hattie Bain on a murder charge. Mason's courtroom dramatics hit a high note when he produces a theory which changes the time of death, and puts an witness with an seemingly unshakeable alibi on the hot seat. Then the theory is collaborated with evidence overlooked by the police, and all hell is raised with the prosecutions theory of the case. A Perry Mason Mystery The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister by Erle Stanley Gardner (Case 42) Some books are like old whisky aged in casks. Rare and smooth. The Perry Mason books fall in that category. This is the 42nd in the series of some 86 books which were written in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Some of the famed luster has been lost because of the generation

Harbinger Renegade Vol. 1: The Judgment of Solomon by Rafer Roberts

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Warning - This book review contains image content which is gory and not for children.    Harbinger Renegade Vol. 1: The Judgment of Solomon by Rafer Roberts Available in India -  https://www.amazon.in/Harbinger-Renegade-1-Judgment-Solomon/dp/1682151697 Also Available -  https://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-Renegade-1-Judgment-Solomon/dp/1682151697 From the Back Cover Anyone you know could become a psionically powered “harbinger.” Your neighbor. Your boss. Your best friend. Your kids. Six months ago, a secret team of renegade whistleblowers leaked the existence of these extraordinarily dangerous individuals to a stunned world. Today, all across the country, crude, DIY psiot activation attempts have left hundreds brain-damaged…or worse. The emergence of a new psiot in a community often leads to riots and mass violence. America is terrified of what could happen next. Now, Kris Hathaway, John “Torque” Torkelson, Faith “Zephyr” Herbert, and Peter Stanchek are about to discover their calling. To

Halo Around the Moon by Matt Ritter

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Thank you NetGalley for access to this early copy in exchange for this review.  All opinions here are my own about the book. From the Back Cover In his intriguing and unexpected second novel, Biology Professor Matt Ritter delivers a strange and startling generational tale of hardship and triumph in the American West. Natural science blends with history, and an unforeseen chain of causation emerges. In current day Los Angeles, UCLA Professor Marcus Melter is called to the scene of a gruesome murder by his friend, Detective Jack Bratton. While the case leads them into a mysterious world of crime and conspiracy, we learn about the bizarre history of these two men’s connected families. Ritter uses his keen natural history observations and unerring sense of place to spin a haunting narrative of intertwined families moving between continents and across the American West, each ultimately affecting the other’s path. Marcus and Jack become the axis around which Ritter spins an interconnected st

Prehistoric by Michael Esola

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Prehistoric by Michael Esola From the Back cover A giant boardwalk has been resurrected high up in the Indonesian rainforest canopy, offering guests stunning, spectacular, and unparalleled views of the rainforest. However, the boardwalk is incomplete and in need of more funding. The creator, John Corstine, assembles a group of potential investors for a weekend tour of the boardwalk. Little do they know that high up in the rainforest canopy, they are being watched, but more importantly, they are not alone.  Been there done that! Any random creature feature from the Syfy channel would qualify for the equivalent of this story. We have had books on the equivalent of "Jurassic Park", enclosed area unheard of species, ancient malevolent, etc. but .... What works here is Esola's treatment of the story. There are practical impediments to the story arc, loop holes more than swiss cheese and feasible is not a word that can be used for the concept pandered here. The story per se is