A fantastic book. Simply the best price of historical fiction I have read in years. Great characters thrown into terrible situations, great pacing and just enough historical detail to make you feel you are there but not overwhelm. Felt like I lived the Civil War with the characters. It is however graphically violent and contains sexual violence. Highly recommend this one, it was a treat to read.

Picked up this book for a change a pace and really enjoyed it. Too often in politics or business or in our personal lives we get led astray by fuzzy thinking or dogmatism. The authors outline a series of guidelines to help avoid poor conclusions and to generate new approaches to problems. Lots of useful guidance. It doesn‘t purport to offer answers rather techniques for finding them on your own. The writing style was quite engaging.

A fun little book that does not take itself too seriously. A bunch of illustrated techniques for operatives drawn from the author‘s own experience. Lots of interesting ideas for the fiction writer, well organized and laid out. Don‘t try these at home!

A bit of a let down. Unfairly harsh on real MFAs and tried to do way too much in too short a book. Ended up covering too many topics with no real depth. The number of times you are offered bonus materials (which should have been in the book) if you join her e mail list was annoying as were too many forced acronyms. I quite liked her application of the scientific method to writing styles but that was not enough to carry this book.

This book about the life of the founder of the Satan‘s Choice MC was disappointing. It was clear the author got too close to his subject and fell into a form of hero worship. While there are endless pages about his boxing and fighting prowess barely a line is given about his violence against women and crimes. The book also could have simply have delivered much more detail about its subject rather than pleasant reminiscing.

On the plus side it is tense, fast paced and very tightly plotted for a 600 page book. There are a number of well thought out and well executed twists.

On the minus the gore is overdone and loses its impact. The characters are unrealistic and there is zero character development. For a book that is supposed to comment on human nature it fails.

Read it for great suspense and quality plotting, or to be able to talk about it, but nothing more.

After a couple of poor reads decided to turn to a sure winner. Walter Mosley never lets me down.

So this is an omnibus of two novels by this author set in a Mad Max like post nuclear war world. The action is fast and the authors voice excellent. After that it was wasted potential. The world is grossly underdeveloped, the characters also not explored deeply enough. It was like the raw material was there and the writer had the craft to deliver but she turned away from doing the hard work of developing the novels. So much missed potential.

I was over two hundred pages in and a serious problem had not yet arisen for the protagonist. The world was okay but it seemed like everyone was just trying to rumour and innuendo each other to death and nothing came of it. If the character was awesomely deep this might have been overcome but he was not that interesting. This book was recommended to me by a good source so I wanted to enjoy it but it fizzled out.

An editor at HMH was kind enough to give me this ARC and I was blown away by this dark urban fantasy. It is a deeply moving and disturbing narrative that offers so many levels on enjoyment that it is hard to describe. The craft is tight, characters flawed and human and the pacing spot on. This book will have me thinking for weeks. If you enjoy urban fantasy or care about the human spirit this work would be a great fit for you.

Started this ARC on a beach here in Dubai. It is a haunting and dark urban fantasy full of social overtones with a literary feel. So far I am quite enjoying it.

For those who miss our old friend Borders, it is still alive and well in the UAE.

It is hard to show in pictures just how big this book festival in the UAE is. Seven halls, each bigger than a football field filled with book sellers and publishers from all over the world. 2,000,000 titles available for purchase, from 1500 vendors. Continuous programming, panels and lectures, all free to the public. Everything from antiquarian books to the latest manga. An unbelievable event.

Currently in Sharjah UAE where the Sultan is funding an amazing program called Knowledge Without Borders. Each home is given a free library unit and 50 free books to help increase literacy, understanding and spirituality. So far 30000 units and 1000000 books have been distributed. The more reading the better!

On board Emirates Air with my amazing wife @KJHowe headed for Dubai and the big book festival in the UAE. There are serious perks being married to your favourite author! We will do our best to show our friends here just what it is like. Bon voyage!

Just finished the ARC of this book and was blown away. It is a great novel with compelling characters, well paced action and powerful emotions set in a well drawn western setting. It has everything you want from a western, outlaws, cattle rustlers, lawmen, ex-slaves and great shoot outs all centred around an unforgettable cast of female protagonists. Even the conceit and structure is original and deftly executed. Loved this book.

Can never get enough steampunk!

1. Submarine with Captain Nemo
2. Got a bum knee that could use an upgrade
3. Dogs FTW with a shout out to K-9
4. Moorcock‘s Nomad of the Time Stream Trilogy

@Trashcanman is having a #randomgiveaway. You should flip a coin to decide if you are going to enter. Mine landed on its edge so I took it as a sign.

Congrats on your accomplishment Trashcanman and keep up the chaotic work

K.J. Howe‘s second novel Skyjack is on sale today on all of the e book platforms, including Amazon for $2.99. In fact I think Amazon may be offering it for a little less. A good deal for some great reading.

It is a sad commentary on my life and TBR pile that I am finally getting around to reading this ARC some months after pub day. It takes some of the fun out of it. However the quality of the book makes up for a lot of that.

#HelloThursday

1. Michael Moorcock
2. Greg Iles
3. Stephen Jay Gould
4. K.J. Howe. - ITW Thriller Award Best First Novel

#agameoffavorites. Classics

Some great classics have been posted already so I decided to go in a different direction.

As a trial lawyer I studied the work of the great Roman lawyer Cicero for years. His work was amazing and his systemic approach to persuasion centuries ahead of its time. In many ways it shows how human emotion and the desire for justice have not changed in millennia.

He was influenced by the Greek rhetorician Archias.

#agameoffavorites Day 8 Award Winner

The easiest day so far for me. I go with my amazing wife #kjhowe whose Freedom Broker just won Best First Novel form the International Thriller Writers and is nominated for others.

Her favourite book is The Brotherhood of the Rose by David Morrel.

The pic is her with her editor Nathaniel Marunas when she won the award. Editors never get enough credit but they do such much to create the books we love.

#agameoffavorites

The mystery challenge was definately hardest of all. I am stuck between the two Peters, Robinson and James and it is a tie! Besides they are both friends so I can't put one over the other.

Peter James was inspired to write by the book Brighton Rock and Peter Robinson's would definately include The Water's Edge.

#agameoffavorites

I hate when I get behind but will work to catch up.

My favourite author of colour is the amazing Nalo Hopkinson. She is a lover of Shakespeare as her father was a Shakespearean trained actor. She has a particular fondness for the Tempest IIRC.

I am blurbing this book of hers because she lived in Toronto when she wrote it and I was privileged to help her with some of the research on it.

#humpdaypost

1. Joe Strummer of the Clash
2. 2 books a week
3. Not enough!
4. I keep hearing we have crime but never encountering it
5. I used to compete in real steel medieval combat, with and without armour

So Rob is both a good friend and at the top of my list for favourite local authors. He has won every major award for spec fic (Hugo, nebula etc) and the Order of Canada to boot! Totally nice guy as well.

He has a number of favourite books but I know Dune by Frank Herbert is right up there.

Pic is part of my RJS collection

#gameoffavorites.

My fav fantasy author is one of the the foundations of modern SF and Fantasy, Michael Moorcock. Picking one book of his is impossible.

His fav is hard, he wrote hundreds of reviews, introductions, academic works on fiction and obits for other authors.

So I go with his love of the feminist SF novel The Female Man by Joanna Russ of which he said

"Smarter and grittier than LeGuin, angrier than Octavia Butler...".

#gameoffavorites.

There is no doubt my favourite female author is my lovely wife @KJHowe I can say with some confidence her favourite book is David Morrell's Brotherhood of the Rose 😀.

There are so many great female authors it is hard to narrow down from the rest but if you are looking for a female spec fic hidden gem try Nalo Hopkinson. Her fav is Shattered like a Glass Goblin by Ellison.

Okay so I may have gone a little fan boy with this purchase, but who doesn't like a good pen?

So this is my first Litsy driven read. Only reading it for #bbbbc and the discussion. Sure am glad I jumped on that wagon because I am really enjoying it. Just have to pick up the pace and get it finished.

The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is in full swing. Reading and writing people are the best people.

A good starter book on writing by a great novelist. Not a long read but a good one. Filled with straightforward guidance of practical value. I understand he will be publishing another monograph to help writers later this year. Which reminds me I should get back to writing.

An energetic if imperfect read. The book contains a number of hypocracies, logical inconsistencies and in one case intentional ignoring of a serious issue that it should discuss. But conversations about race are needed and if this intelligent and dedicated author wants to help make that happen, good on her. Approached with a critical mind and some caution this book has a lot to offer.

This book was published in 1912 and is considered the start of the traditional western model. As I read I was surprised to discover the plot was built around two love stories and the historical Morman-gentile conflict. It has its fair share of overwriting, exaggerated dialogue and sexism, but it remains an interesting period price. The twist at the end was quite clever.

So incredibly proud of my wife, #KJHowe whose first novel, #thefreedombroker won the Thriller Award for Best First Novel at #thrillerfest tonight. The most incredible night of her publishing life happened to her surrounded by her ITW family. And congratulations from this year's Thrillermaster were greatly appreciated.

The Thrillermaster panel from #thrillerfest today. A pretty august group sharing stories and wisdom.

Had a chance to work and talk with Mr. Martin at #thrillerfest tonight. A more down to earth, funnier and articulate gent you are not likely to meet.

Steven teaching the techniques of delivering killer twists at #thrillerfest today in his own unique style. It was standing room only and he blew my mind several times.

Had the privilege of doing a full day writers intensive masterclass with Bob Dugoni today at #thrillerfest. He is a thoughtful, direct and inspirational instructor. If you ever get a chance to study with him, take it.

It was only made better by having the talented Sandra Brannan in our class.

#makemereadit

So please cast your vote on which book in my TBR pile that I should read in August and I will read as many as I can in that order. On the road almost all of July so will be ready for some quality reading time by August.

Thanks again to #thereadingmermaid for the brilliant idea for this game.

#fandomfriday

1. R2D2
2. Jon Pertwee (my docs have names!)
3. Team Snow
4. #1
5. Beaker or Animal

#librarianryan

So if you put Anne Rice, Mark Twain and Joseph Conrad into a blender and fire it up you get this wonderful novel. A well constructed and original vampire novel this book delivers. You get an amazing feel for life in the riverboat trade in the 1850s and 60s and the tension keeps ramping up with some nice twists. A little slow in places, the great characters make up for it. Highly recommended.

Last reminder that #KJHowe‘s #beatdiabetes giveaway entry period closes at midnight July 5.

Prizes include three signed Brenda Novak novels and signed hardcovers of K.J.‘s books.

Litsy support has already helped raise substantial funds for diabetes research. All you have to do to enter is sign up for K.J.‘s mailing list at

https://www.kjhowe.com/mailing-list/

Wishing a wonderful Independence Day to our American friends and neighbours.

Time to get butt in gear. Looking forward to seeing GRRM at #thrillerfest next week and figure I should try to read some of his older work to learn more of what he is all about.

Well it appears that Ann has put out an updated version of this great historical study. The one in the pic is the original in my collection. The only question for me is how much weeping my wallet will have to do. Do I get this one or the British Museum copy with Mercer for more than double the cost?

This is a great primer for anyone trying to come to grips with the trend of PMCs or the privatization of military force. The author served in the US airborne, then worked as a mercenary and now teaches at the National War College and thus is uniquely qualified. It offers a good historical and current overview. It asks many of the important questions. The details of the PMC building of the Liberian army were particularly insightful.

No matter what you think about evolution, prose like this, logically incisive, charming and powerfully persuasive is a great reminder as to why Gould was one of the great science writers of the last century.

Just finished some work reading. This was was well written and informative. It was great how he combined the scientific underpinnings with lots of real world examples. If you are in sales, or do much negotiating or are just interested in human behaviour I would recommend this.

The Freedom Broker is currently supposed to be on sale for $ 2.99 but due to a glitch it is currently $2.30 on amazon.com. I have no idea when this will get corrected.

This novel is a finalist for the Best First Novel Thriller Award and the Barry Award for Best Thriller of 2017. Library Journal named it one of the top five Thrillers of 2017.

Thea Paris is a strong female protagonist with diabetes and family problems. A great summer read.