Reviews

Bones of the Homeless

1. Posted on Barnes and Noble.com
Jones's poems & photos will open hearts as they speak for the Silenced Voices of the Homeless.

2.     Posted August 6, 2007, 11:43 PM EST
The poetry is urgent, lively, and sometimes haunting- appearing alongside stark black and white photos of Jones' homeless subjects. Jones takes on the plight of the homeless in different voices, echoing the thoughts of people on the streets, unfeeling passersby, and compassionate observers. Terry Messman, editor of Street Spirit in Berkeley, California, writes: 'Many times I have published a 'Judy Jones poem' on the front page of my Street Spirit because 'her' poems help reveal the realities of homelessness at a depth surpassing many of our news articles on the same subject. They speak directly to the souls of the readers and appeal to our hearts for a rebirth of compassion, justice, and love towards the poorest of our brothers and sisters.' Not to be missed!

Broomwhistle

    Review on Barnes & Noble: An exciting new world and characters. Posted August 24, 2010, 6:44 PM EST:

If you're looking for a new world to visit then visit the Dwillands. It's easy to feel like you're there with the details given about a new race of beings, the Dwill and the other inhabitants of the realm. With a far off war being fought, retired private detective Pindby is trying to enjoy life in the traditional Dwill manner while teaching his nephew Belium the finer points of the private detective business. After Pindby is asked to find some missing Dwill girls, and a clue falls in his lap, he's compelled to work one more case. He and Belium meet all sorts of beings and fight off witches, shape-shifting shooks, encounter magic in the Great Forest, and make new friends. Even an innocent encounter on the road to Montrolla could be reason for Pindby to pull out his bag of tricks. Good action and imagery.

    Review on Amazon.com: Broomwhistle is Great!, August 15, 2010 By Fantasy Reader.

This review is from: The Broomwhistle Chronicles: Witch Hunt of the Dwills (Paperback): The Broomwhistle Chronicles is a great fantasy adventure in the spirit of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. It is full of original characters and a detective story that takes place in the middle of a big war. The Dwill, creatures somewhere between Hobbits and Goblins, are adorable and fascinating. Uncle Pindby is hard to forget as an old Dwill who teaches his nephew Belium the ropes of surviving a crime investigation during dangerous times. The detectives have to brave Box-Wrestling matches, The Great Forest, endless monsters, the wild lands and nasty Dwill administrators to rescue some Dwill girls who are "Dwillnapped" by a rogue coven of Witches. I especially liked old Uncle Pindby's concern for his young nephew as the pair, along with interesting companions picked up along the way, avoid and outsmart the many traps set by the powerful Witches during the chase to retrieve the Dwill girls. It's incredible how the author pits Dwill Detective skills against the Witches magic...

Chicken Noodle News

1.     From Amazon.com
A Must Read for CNN Junkies, October 16, 2009
By Westgalady

2. Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved this book. John Baker is a wonderful story teller, and doesn't hide any of the secrets of CNN. I recommend this book if you are an avid fan of CNN, a news junkie, or simply enjoy laughing out loud.

Noggle Stones

1.     From Barnes and Noble.com
- very entertaining
Posted March 12, 2009, 9:50 AM EST: The writer has great writing skills. The book captured my attention from page one through the very last page. Left me wanting and waiting for the next book. The writer was able to bring the character to life in his book, not just another character. You can feel what they feel and the anticipation of what is next is amazing. At times the writing made my heart beat faster not knowing what was going to happen. A definite read over and over again, one to share with others, one to bring your imagination to full light. Great book, highly recommend.

2.     Great New Author!
Posted February 13, 2009, 12:04 PM EST: Mr Radcliffe is fabulous at his craft! He is able to weave life lessons with intriguing characters and an exciting plot with ease. Noggle Stones is a tale of a group of travelers whose fates entwine to face challenges they could never overcome alone. You won't want to put it down. A fabulous story along the lines of Harry Potter and Spiderwick Cronicles, it will sure to be a hit among all ages who enjoy Fantasy Fiction. Could also easily be used in a middle-high school English curriculum.

3.     Imaginative and engrossing
Posted July 29, 2008, 1:32 PM EST: Noggle Stones is a fun fantasy novel in the tradition of the Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter. It will appeal to a wide range of ages as the story is engaging and intelligently written. Looking forward to sequels in the series.

4.     A reviewer
Posted June 10, 2008, 2:32 PM EST: Noggle Stones keeps you engaged from page one. I really loved the character development and how the main characters grew stronger as a group. The story has a mix of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but is a completely different level. Any one that enjoys a good Fantasy Fiction book will enjoy Noggle Stones. Get a copy for yourself and a copy for a friend, 'as you wont want to share yours.' Great read with exciting story. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

The Endlight Event

1.     From Bookfinder 4 U
Entertaining read, interesting premise.
The previously noted criticisms of the work are accurate, but the book is a very readable piece of work which is not only fascinating, but most importantly entertaining!

2.     Could this really happen to me???
I was facinated by John Cater's first SciFi novel. It grabbed me right away and I had a very hard time putting it down until I had read the very last page. The premise of the book is very plausible and the plot development will have you eagerly waiting for each new page. I hope I don't give anything away by saying that I am eagerly waiting for the sequel - John - I hope there is one in the works!

I too gave it only 4 stars (still very high!) because of some of the weak character development. This is a minor critique given the amount of work that went into the science and astronomy in the book.

I had better stop writing now - it is time to head to the store and start stockpiling...

3.     What if a cloud of cosmic dust cut off the sun?
This book tells the story of what might happen if cosmic dust happened to come our way and get-even if briefly-between the early and the sun, cutting off the sun's energy. The result is daytime HIGH temperatures of 65 BELOW zero for New Mexico, even before the peak of the event. And dropping a couple of degrees every day.
Governments seem incapable of dealing with the problem, but a private group-including the astronomer who first discovered the coming catastrophe-has a creative plan for saving humanity and the ecosystem.
This book definitely held my attention and I stayed up very late, managing to read more than half of it in one day. Its strongest aspects are the idea, the realistic and detailed way the author has developed it and ideas for dealing with such a problem (which certainly seems like something that could happen). I gave the book four stars instead of five because I thought the characters a bit underdeveloped, although this may be a quibble, since most science fiction (which I typically don't read) doesn't much focus on characters.

4.     Fascinating Sci-Fi Tale
The author, John Cater, who is an electical engineer is a new contributor to Sci-Fi although he has published previous technical engineering works. I picked up his book and was not able to put it down until I finished it. I was very much reminded of the writing style of Michael Chrichten. "The Endlight Event is a story woven from the fabric of John's intimate knowlege of astronomy and resonates with such a plausible premise that some survivalists may start stockpiling their ice-age survival shelters after reading this book.

The Pub at the Center of the Universe

1.     Har har har
Like Mettam’s comic book about a thousand year old librarian charged with saving the world, this book has an unlikely—but somehow lovable—main character. I am both a sci-fi and a comedyy fan and this book definitely has both (though the sci-fi part is manageable for people who are a little touchy about that genre).
Anyone who likes Terry Pratchett will get a kick out of this book.

2.     Don’t judge this book by its cover.
I’m a huge sci-fi fan but most of the novels I read don’t have much humor thrown into the mix. I was a bit skeptical at first based on the somewhat strange title but “The Pub at the Center of the Universe” has a great story line with enough humor thrown in to make you smile without becoming a mindless Will Farrell comedy. There was also enough thought put into the sci-fi aspect of it to make any trekkie happy.
I truly enjoyed this book...well done Mr. Mettam

3.     Universally funny
I'm one of those people who tends to keep away from comedic novels as it often transpires that the author has a different sense of humour to me (or maybe they're just not funny). The prologue had me laughing already, and gives away just enough to keep you interested without spoiling the plot. Subsequent gags were well-timed and without giving anything away there are several running gags throughout the book.

Revenge

1.     From Barnes and Noble.com Posted August 24, 2007, 12:43 AM EST:
Like being hit by a sledgehammer This is almost disturbing in it's intensity. I've heard of books that you can't put down until you finish it but this is my first experience with one. It's modern yet follows a tradition of Southern california criminality.

Dupers Fork

From Book Finders 4U

1.     Surprising premise
Great idea for a book, and a great page turning story.
I applaud the author on his first book, and am anxious to read the second and third in the trilogy.
I truly think this could make a very good movie if properly adapted, as the idea is original and a different spin on WWII, a subject you would think has been covered from every conceivable angle. Not this one!

2.     Imaginative twist on prisoners of war
I found this book interesting from the angle of a new twist on the Second World War as it took place in this country. The print was easy on my eyes and the story flowed - the only downside is that we have to wait for the second and third book in the trilogy to finish the story.

3.     Excellent Read
This is some easy reading that's perfect for the summer. You could finish it on a longer flight probably or on the beach/by the pool for a few days. The writing style is simple and the character relationsips and story are both entertaining. The ending is a total surprise and makes you want more. I personally can't wait for when the publisher releases the second novel in the trilogy.

The Acorn Dossier

From Amazon.com

1.     Fast-paced thriller, September 16, 2009
Fast-paced thriller, with suspense and intrigue. Although a fictional novel, it is filled with facts about Soviet covert actions against the US during the Cold War. Hard to put down until the surprising conclusion...

Widdershins

From Amazon.com

1.     "I've not sensed such power in a very long time.", July 10, 2009
By Alexander Lucard "Jay-Jay-Tee"
"Widdershins" is a very enjoyable and interesting book from beginning to end. The main character, Christina Lafage goes from girl to woman as she follows the "The left-handed path" to the road of self discovery and absolute power. Of course, everything comes with a price. The story will transport the reader to different and exotic locations around the world, as well as open your mind to new experiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is quite curious about spells, black magic and the texts that surround the dark arts. The author, Eve Lestrange has woven an interesting tale and I look forward to many future stories to unfold in print.