Book Review - ROAN: The Tales of Conor Archer

ROAN: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 1 

By: E.R. Barr
Publisher: Telemachus Press
Publication Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-1-937387-66-2
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: June 6, 2014

From the fantastical to the emotional, this is one book that hits on all cylinders. In fact, not since Potter has there been such a large story with so many intricate characters; except this one also gives the Celtic twist that all lovers of Irish knowledge, history and beauty will absolutely adore.

The Tinkers are a group that went through a great deal back in their homeland. Their story involves a mystical plot: Upon exiling themselves, they headed out to find a new place to live. However, the Tinkers men folk actually fought with shapeshifters called Roan, which come from the depths of Celtic mythology. The wives returned as seals, but their pups transformed into human children. These 'human' children were granted the name 'Dark Ones' by the Tinkers who accepted them as family.

Upon reaching the New World, this group settled in a beautiful spot where actual legends came to life; and there they sat, while the townspeople around them kept the Celtic secrets and made sure no one was ever aware of the 'Dark Ones.'

This is the myth; this is the legend; and this is exactly what main character, Conor Archer, learns about after landing in Tinker’s Grove, Wisconsin. Conor came to the state with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sent by his mother, who’s dying words told him that he must head straight for the location, Conor actually arrives in the small town succumbing to an illness that he does not understand; a type of sickness that makes Conor more than just a human.

Conor’s health improves with the help of an abbot, but he soon finds himself locked in a struggle between myth and reality. The Roan, the 'Dark Ones' - all of the mystical characters are there to join him in his battle between good and evil in order to save humanity as a whole.

The suspense and action intensify as Conor begins to change. Not only does he gaze at a river demon, but his visions of beings that could not possibly be real grow in number. On top of all this, Conor must wage war with a rich landowner who has no interest in anything but money and establishing absolute power.

Add in a bio-geneticist, an immortal Welsh prince by the name of Madoc, and a town that has literally gone crazy with panic believing that their long silence may just come back to harm them, and you have a book that brings all manner of hero and villain to life.

Although some may refer to the book as a bit 'wordy' in spots, the words are riveting. The scenes are larger than life, leading the reader to actually feel as if they are standing by the side of Conor, just waiting to see what happens next.

Quill says: Well done for a debut novel. Readers, however, will need to amp up their patience as they beg to know, 'what happens next?' 

For more information on ROAN: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 1, please visit the author's website at: www.erbarr.com

Book Review - Reckless Disregard

Reckless Disregard: A Parker Stern Novel 

By: Robert Rotstein
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Publication Date: June 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61614-8812
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: June 10, 2014

The debut novel by this incredible new voice on the thriller scene, Corrupt Practices, was a wild, amazing ride that readers are still talking about. Introducing a new character, Parker Stern, the suspense audience received a well-rounded attorney who brings to the table intelligence, wit, talent and a tad bit of anxiety, to say the least.

Parker had some very difficult problems in his past, but now that he has survived the pain of his previous case he’s ready to begin again. In this new tale, Parker must face the in-depth and more-than-confusing world of cyber age electronics and the gaming community.

Hired to defend a client in a libel suit, Parker dives in; the only odd thing for him is that he only communicates with his client on the computer screen. The defendant in the libel suit is on a ‘chat’ program and refuses to show his face or reveal his identity to the public.

William H. Bishop (AKA: “William the Conqueror”), owns newspapers, television stations and a wealth of media that goes around the world and back again. Used to getting his own way, he is the one suing Parker’s client, Poniard. Poniard is a video game designer whose latest brain child, Abduction!, features the kidnapping of an actress, Felicity McGrath, by Bishop’s hired hands.

Poniard, which is the only name the defendant will give to Parker, is able to get the attorney to work for him even though Parker has, more or less, given up criminal case work and is now focusing on being a mediator. Against his better judgment, Parker takes the case, even though all personal information of his client will be withheld. Poniard is convinced that Bishop actually had this actress killed and, if this is true, his game will not be considered libelous, and Bishop will be proven a murderer.

When murder comes into play, Parker changes his mind, but his gaming client says that he will reveal Parker’s past when he worked as a child movie star to the public. Although this might not seem like much of a threat at first, Parker looks into his client’s claims and sees that this case is turning out to be a whole lot more sinister than first expected. Parker’s opposing counsel turns out to be an old girlfriend and, sadly, he even must deal with loss as he attempts to see justice done.

There are more than a few authors who write legal thrillers out there, but Rotstein has certainly risen above the pack in a very short time. The story never stops and the subplots can change on a dime. One of the best things about the book is the main character. Parker Stern has an odd past as a child star, and his mother is even involved in a Hollywood cult, which means the ‘mother-of-the-year’ award is out.

Quill says: This is a ‘one-two’ punch by Rotstein, and if readers have not read the first book, they will definitely want to after reading this one, and yearn for more!

Book Review - Face Value

Face Value: A Rachel Gold Mystery 

By: Michael A. Kahn
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publishing Date: June 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4642-0278-0
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: June 2014

When this mystery starts out, it starts with a bang. At the beginning of this author’s ninth legal mystery, featuring Attorney Rachel Gold, a security guard comes upon the body of a woman in an alley adjacent to a parking garage. The unfortunate victim, Sari Bashir, is a young lawyer at a St. Louis law firm, Warner & Olson.

The death is quickly deemed a suicide. The reason? Because the job of a young lawyer in a large firm is full of late hours and very hard work that can drive a new lawyer into many forms of depression and sometimes, well, sometimes they just quit. This poor girl’s death is put into the suicide file and put aside. Apparently the police on the case did not figure on Stanley Plotkin, who is an employee in the mail room of Warner & Olsen and also a man who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. Stanley is adamant that this is a murder case so he and his friend Jerry Klunger meet up with Attorney Rachel Gold at the memorial services for Sari Bashir and prevail on her to investigate the young attorney’s death. Stanley is a bit of a savant and people don’t pay a lot of attention to his ideas, but he knows what he’s talking about. He is into a system called the Facial Action Coding System that authorities have used to recognize emotions from facial expressions. Stanley is positive that Sari was very upset before her death, but definitely not suicidal or depressed about anything.

Rachel agrees to investigate the death and gets a team together to help her. As Rachel and company look into Stanley’s ideas, she gives Stanley a free hand in helping with the case, as he is able to read the various emotional expressions on the faces of the people involved. Stanley has used his special skills, as an observer, to convince Rachel that this was definitely a murder and not suicide. Rachel and Stanley, along with Jerry, decide to record a memorial tape of Sari’s colleagues telling little stories and remembrances of Sari. Rachel gives the tapes to Stanley so he can study the expressions on the suspects’ faces. This part of the book was a bit draggy and I suspect a judge would never allow this in a real courtroom. However, in the story, the three friends along with Detective Tomaso of the St. Louis Police Department, are able to get somewhere with the video tape and prove that Sari’s death was not an accident. Now to prove it...

Face Value was an enjoyable mystery with plenty of twists and turns. The characterizations are well written and, good news for the future, the author is on his way to a tenth book in the series.

Quill says: Face Value is a good read with many interesting characters and a writer who knows the law and how law firms are run.

Interview with Author James Conroyd Martin

Today we're talking with James Conroyd Martin, author of The Warsaw Conspiracy

FQ: The Warsaw Conspiracy was a book filled with the rich, historical details of the Polish people. Is there a specific reason you tend to lean toward this subject (i.e.: Polish Trilogy/Push Not the River), even though you, yourself, are not of Polish descent?

MARTIN: You could say it was fate that led me to write historical novels set in Poland. Many years ago, a good friend asked me to read his ancestor's diary. Anna was a young countess in Poland at a critical moment in history. It was a fascinating read and changed the course of my life. Her diary was transformed into Push Not the River.

FQ: You are both an American historical fiction author and teacher; therefore, is historical fiction the genre you wish to remain in, or are there others you would like to explore?

MARTIN: I have just retired from teaching, so I am going to be writing full time. I am working on another historical set in Poland, one that explores the Battle of Vienna in 1683. That battle occurred on September 11-12 as the Turks attempted to take the city and all of Europe. The Turks' loss then may be the reason why they chose 9-11 in 2001. As for other genres, the paranormal interests me.

FQ: The family saga is definitely a difficult plot to write. Each character must offset the other, and a wide, grand range of opinions, strengths, and battles between loving someone and having to dislike them at times, is a balancing act. Were you a fan of that type of intricate storytelling before becoming a historical fiction author?

MARTIN: Yes, I think I read a number of multi-viewpoint stories and so felt comfortable with that format. In working with Push Not the River, my source was, of course, a single viewpoint diary and I tried to keep to that. However, I felt it too constricting and wanted to get into the minds of Anna’s scheming cousin Zofia, her Aunt Stella, and her love interest, Jan. In due time, the story became a four-character viewpoint telling.

FQ: Do you have a mentor who gave you the inspiration to move forward with a writing career? Along that same line, was there a teacher who inspired you to delve into education?

MARTIN: As far as teaching, all my teachers inspired me along the way. Regarding writing, there is one particular person who moved me forward inspirationally. After years of working in a vacuum on Push, I sent it to the great science fiction writer, Piers Anthony, who told me he would read it but that he almost never puts his name to others' books. In part, this is what he wrote back after reading it: "I am profoundly impressed. [Your story] is a well-written historical romance with all the elements of love, scheming, violence, irony, and tragedy to provide impact ... It left me aching to know more of the subsequent life of Anna ..." Piers gave me my first blurb, but more importantly, he validated years of struggle.

FQ: As a teacher, is there any advice you would give to a student of history who may perhaps be looking for a future career in writing?

MARTIN: In teaching my creative writing course, I encouraged students to read, read, read. To find the authors they would like to emulate and read all their works. So, to the writer of historicals, I would add histories to that admonition.

FQ: I always ask this one question of everyone: If you could have dinner with a writer (or even a historical character), alive or dead, who would that be and why?

MARTIN: Somerset Maugham, I think. Of Human Bondage had a huge impact on me in college, and I think he led an immensely interesting life.

FQ: Can you tell readers what the next project is that you are either working on or thinking about?

MARTIN: Before I finish the Battle of Vienna story, I will be publishing a ghost story with a unique aspect to it (no spoiler here). It's called Hologram: A Haunting and I hope to see it arrive on the scene in late July or August, if not before.

FQ: Do you have a particular time in history that you would like to explore?

MARTIN: The times are many, the places more limited. I’d like to finish something I started on sixth century Constantinople and also explore my own ancestral roots in Ireland and Norway.

To learn more about The Warsaw Conspiracy please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Award Program Gearing Up

Our award program is gearing up and will be open for nominations in July. In the meantime, we're securing our list of special awards and tweaking the categories (adding a 'debut author' category, etc.). We'd like to know what you would like to see? A new category, or ? Let us know! Here's the link to the page with further info.

http://www.featheredquill.com/awardprogram.shtml

Book Review - Aegis Rising

Aegis Rising 

By: S.S. Segran
Illustrated By: Eric Newport
Publisher: Inkmagination
Publication Date: November 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9910813-0-1
Reviewed By: Kristi Benedict
Review Date: June 3, 2014

For five teenagers, Kody, Jag, Tegan, Mariah, and Aari, a plane ride into the forests of the Pacific Northwest sounded like a grand adventure. However, that thought is quickly dashed after their plane flies into the middle of a terrible storm and goes crashing to the ground, surrounded by fiery flames. When these five regain consciousness they find themselves in a strange community surrounded by odd but accommodating villagers. Of course their first thought is that of escape but as their caretakers and the elders of the villagers began to tell them of a prophecy they are believed to fulfill, their minds slowly begin to change about the idea of escaping. Especially after almost being devoured by ferocious wolves with their first escape attempt, the five friends decide that staying with these people would be the best choice.

Soon after deciding to stay, these five begin their training one on one with an elder assigned to each of them. Before too long specific inner powers begin to immerge from each of them and they quickly discover that they have been destined for much more than any of them ever thought possible.

A bird engulfed in flames falling from the sky was the first sign the elders of the village believed they would see when the five destined to fulfill the prophecy arrived. Soon after seeing this sign the five teenagers are brought to the village, making them the obvious answer to the upcoming prophecy. Some in the village, however, are not convinced because they believe the five in the prophecy should come from their own people rather than strangers from an outside land. However, as the elders spend more and more time with these five friends they become convinced that these teenagers are the ones they have been waiting for and come to believe that they will be strong enough to face all of the challenges ahead of them.

Up in the mountains the head of a mining expedition named Ajajdif is under strict orders to extract a special kind of ore in a matter of weeks. When the project started it was thought that this would not take more than two months but unfortunately more time is needed and Ajajdif is feeling the pressure of the approaching deadline weighing down on him. Ajajdif believed that these mountains did not have anyone living in them, but after arresting four trespassers who obviously dwelled within these mountains, his belief was quickly shattered. These were not just simple mountain dwellers either but skilled and intelligent fighters who are giving Ajajdif more problems than he wants to deal with. If need be Ajajdif will go to war with these people to keep the mining expedition on track and if these villagers continue to cause problems he knows that will be his only choice.

From the very first page this story had me transfixed and I ended up absolutely loving this book! Everything from the landscape, the characters, the plot, and the different societies was so well described and were brought together to form an epic adventure. Being able to see the perspective of many characters was also something that I truly enjoyed as I don’t think I would have been able to grasp the plot of this book without seeing it from every angle. It was agonizing knowing that a battle was coming and then having to wait for each character to come to the realization in their own time. Each part of this book had me hanging on the edge begging to know what comes next and how the five heroes would stand up to the challenges that would soon be thrown their way.

Quill says: This is an absolutely thrilling story that grips onto the reader and never lets go! 

For more information on Aegis Rising, please visit the author's website at: www.sssegran.com

Interview with Author Bethany Crandell

Today we're talking with Bethany Crandell, author of Summer on the Short Bus
 
FQ: Hearing the background stories of Cricket’s co-counselors was one of my most enjoyable parts of the book. Where did the inspiration for these characters come from?
 
CRANDELL: Fantine was actually inspired by a girl I went to high school with. She was an athletic goddess, ridiculously smart, sweet without being syrupy and oh-so pretty. To sum it up, she was a bad ass. From the moment Fantine first showed up on my computer screen, I knew she would be modeled after that girl. As for the other counselors, I didn’t really set out with a plan of how their personal stories would unfold I just wanted to make sure they had one to tell.

FQ: The real life quality of this book was something I personally loved but were you worried about offending anyone while writing this story? 
 
CRANDELL: No, not really. I knew that to convey the story I wanted to tell, I had to give my characters plenty of room to be themselves—and that meant not worrying about how they might be perceived.

FQ: How will you react if some readers respond more negatively to this book?
 
CRANDELL: It would be awesome if every person who picked up this book fell in love with it, but I’m a realist and well aware that the odds of that happening are slim to never. So, here’s my philosophy on negative feedback:

You can’t please everyone.

Cricket embodies just about every negative character trait a person can have (and most of us do), so I can see how a story told from that point of view might be off-putting to some readers. I for one would take a flawed protagonist over an angelic one any day, but that’s just how I roll. In the end, I have to trust that the right audience will appreciate the story for what it is. Beyond that, it’s out of my control.

FQ: The personalities of the campers and co-counselors were not what I expected but Rainbow the camp director seemed to fit the typical 'just wants everyone to have fun' type director. Did you intend her to be that way?
 
CRANDELL: Absolutely! If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the earth-dwelling angels who look after our special needs kids (teachers, camp directors, therapists, etc.,) it’s that they have an endless supply of enthusiasm for their jobs, the kids they work with, and more patience than a Jedi knight. Rainbow needed to be the camp cheerleader because her life is about encouraging those kids to be the best they can be.

FQ: Was your daughter one of the sole inspirations for this book or did you have experiences with special needs kids before your daughter?
 
CRANDELL: Some aspects of the book were inspired by my daughter. For example, James’ affinity to oven mitts was based on my daughter’s love of backpacks. But the real inspiration for writing a story with disabled characters had more to do my own journey getting to know my daughter, understanding her differences, and figuring out how I was going to forge into an honest relationship with her while still being true to who I was. Before my daughter, I had very little interaction with the disabled community--she’s been a huge, welcome eye-opener.

FQ: Would you say the reaction that Cricket had when first realizing this was a special needs camp is the reaction that most people would have?
 
CRANDELL: Probably not to that extent, but yes, I do believe that most people would have been surprised, and maybe even a bit nervous, to realize that they’d be working with disabled kids.

FQ: The protectiveness that Quinn showed over his brother and the other co-counselors expressed for some of the campers was such an intimate part of their characters, is that protectiveness something you have experienced as well? 
 
CRANDELL: You bet! Like any mom, I’m protective of both of my girls. But when I catch someone staring a little too long at the younger one (she has cerebral palsy), or scowling at her, the mama bear switch flips and I get a little feisty. I understand that people are curious about her--she does make some weird noises and expressions, especially when she’s excited--but there’s a line between curiosity and just being rude. The location of that line tends to shift depending on my mood. Heh.

FQ: There were many changes in Cricket’s view of the world in this story opening up so many possibilities in where her life can go, so could there possibly be a sequel to this book?
 
CRANDELL: I’ve toyed with the idea of a sequel, but it never includes a starring role from Cricket. I think embarking on a new summer adventure from one of the campers’ POVs, (or a few of them) could be a fun/interesting twist.

To learn more about Summer on the Short Bus please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.