Hostile Witness

By: Rebecca Forster

Some secrets aren't uncovered. They are unleashed...

Josie Baylor-Bates returns to the practice of criminal defense when her friend's sixteen-year-old daughter, Hannah, is arrested for the brutal slaying of her step-grandfather-a California Supreme Court justice. Although all evidence points to Hannah's guilt, her family's disturbing relations may play a more significant role than anyone could guess. As Josie unravels a circle of secrets, she discovers a shocking truth that could save her client-or destroy them all..

Another Amazon free find, and another really good book. Josie Baylor-Bates is a lawyer with a troubled past that comes back to haunt her. After getting a client off of a murder charge, the client kills again, proving their guilt and proving Josie's abilities. It's a national story that haunts her for years. When an old college roommate shows up at her door needing legal help, Josie has no idea that Pandora's box is about to be opened with her agreement to serve as counsel. Josie finds herself in the midst of more controversy than she ever imagined and, perhaps most troubling, she isn't sure of her client's innocence.

I admit it: I used to watch Matlock as a kid. With the recent passing of Andy Griffith, this book has taken on a whole new level for me. The story is compelling, and it's very well written, but the nostalgia of legal thrillers is what really made this book great in my eyes.  Forster has either done her research well, or she is really good at faking it because the courtroom scenes had a feel of realism. I could feel Josie's passion in her cross examination and I could her her fist hitting the bar as she made her arguing points.
There was more coarse language than I felt appropriate. Yes, I realize that is how most people speak in today's society, but I don't see the need to move the story along. To me, crude language detracts from the telling. I am more enamored with an author who can tell a tale and bring across passion without resorting to colorful language.
Any sex scenes involved were not the focus, nor was an inordinate amount of space devoted to them, which is another mark of a quality writer. You don't need sex to sell a story, and Forester uses just enough to add color to the relationships.
The writing was exquisite, and the story itself fantastic. I had it figured out at one point, then Forster made me question everything I thought I knew. In the end, - well, I'll leave that up to you to find out.

I found Hostile Witness to be a very well written effort, and it makes me want to find more of her work. I highly recommend Hostile Witness if you enjoy legal thrillers, or just plain old good writing.

Right Ascension

By: David Derrico

Humanity's position of political and technological dominance within the galaxy is suddenly shattered when a sleek alien vessel arrives unexpectedly at Earth. Admiral Daniel Atgard and the crew of the Apocalypse embark on a mission to find these enigmatic aliens, but the focus of the mission quickly turns from finding answers to exacting revenge. Meanwhile, a belligerent species of reptilian warriors, seeking to avenge a previous defeat at the hands of the human-controlled United Confederation of Planets, takes this opportunity to plan an all-out assault on Earth. Faced with overwhelming odds and the terrible knowledge of mankind's most horrifying secret, Daniel must choose between honor ... and humanity's very survival.

I don't like science fiction novels. It's an odd thing to me. I like both Star Trek and Star Wars, but the thought of reading about adventures in space doesn't appeal to me in any way. With that in mind, I have no idea what I was thinking when I downloaded Right Ascension to my Kindle. Perhaps I wasn't aware of what the book was about. I think it may have been during a time that I was simply downloading titles that sounded good. "Right Ascension" doesn't sound like science fiction, but then again, I don't think I was concerned about that because I wasn't anywhere near that genre on Amazon.com.  In any event, when I flipped the first digital page and saw the date set in 3040, I'm pretty sure I let out an audible groan. I decided to give it a chance, however, and soon I was in the midst of an intergalactic firefight. . .

. . . And I was hooked.

Derrico brings you right into the middle of the story where you are introduced to a cast of characters so diverse, yet so identifiable, that you can't help but turn the page.  The story follows Daniel, Admiral of the Apocalypse, as he witnesses incredible tragedy that threatens to destroy the whole of humanity. In his search for answers, he discovers more than he barganed for and now he must face the cold reality that mankind, perhaps, deserves the fate that is inexorably drawing near.  Can Daniel face his internal demons and come to grips with the truth that casts a cloud over all he holds dear?

While the story idea is far from original, Derrico masterfully weaves a tale that drives the reader forward. Yes, it was predictable in parts, and it was even somewhat anti-climactic (though that may be a byproduct of my reading habits: reading it in half-hour chunks of time), the story is eloquently told. I wasn't impressed with the planets, or the fights, or the "Earth is gonna die" parts of Right Ascension - I am incredibly impressed with Derrico's storytelling ability. If he can tell such a predictable tale and it is this good, I can't wait to see what he can do with a quality piece of originality!

If you like sci-fi, you'll probably enjoy Right Ascension. Personally, I would recommend this book to anyone, and I am on the lookout for more works from Derrico. It's that good.

The Third Murderer

By: Jack Flanagan

A professor's murder at a small New England college and a forgotten manuscript lead recently retired school teacher, Richard MacKenzie, and his wife, Morgana, through a labyrinth of secrets, deceptions, and murder. Will revelations about Morgana's past hinder the ongoing investigation about the professor's death, and damage her marriage? Will Richard be able to save his brother's job? Will the killer be found before he strikes again? Everything depends on Richard. Who said retirement is like a walk in the park?

Another Amazon Kindle find for me, and another really good book. Flanagan creates an intricately woven tale of murder, deception, and innocence in The Third Murderer. Richard MacKenzie is trying to enjoy retirement when news of a death at his alma mater requires his presence as the deceased is a man that his wife, Morgana, dated many years ago. After the funeral, the local Sheriff, who also happens to be Richard's younger brother asks Richard to help him out because the death was ruled a murder, and the newly elected Sheriff has no idea what he is doing. Richard decides to help Kyle out and he and Morgana find out more than they wanted to know - when another murder takes place. This time the victim is a dearly loved professor. Can Richard and Morgana sort through their emotions to find the killer?

Flanagan creates a well thought out story with characters that are instantly recognizable and identifiable. I immediately liked the character of Richard, and I identified with his relationship with his wife.  As the story progressed, I found myself liking certain people more and other characters less. I got wrapped up in the story and I didn't want to put it down at all.

The Third Murderer is in first person so it reads like a commentary, and I must say, Richard is quite funny.  Since Richard and Morgana are married, there is some sexual material, but it is done with a class and panache such as I have rarely seen.

I am quite taken with this book. I will be looking for more of Flanagan's work, and I suggest you look for him as well. It will be well worth your time.

Project Cyclops

By: Thomas Hoover

“A high-tech launch site, a missing nuke, and Arab terrorists with nothing to lose . . .”
In the sun-dappled waters of the Aegean, ex-agent Michael Vance pilots the Odyssey II, a handmade replica of the sailcraft of the ancient hero Ulysses. Out of nowhere, a Russian Hind gunship with Arab terrorists at the helm fires upon the tiny ship below. The terrorist's destination is a tiny Aegean island where a U.S. aerospace corporation carefully guards the Cyclops 20-megawatt laser launch facility. But the company security force is no match for the firepower of the Arab invasion and the launch site is quickly overrun. With helpless horror, the executives can only watch as renegade technicians convert the launch vehicle into a ballistic missile that can deliver their stolen thermonuclear warhead to any city in the U.S.
Left for dead amid the smoking ruins of Odyssey II, Michael Vance washes up on the occupied island – and becomes America’s only hope.

Another of my Kindle free finds on Amazon.com (it's still free as of the last time I checked (today)), Project Cyclops is a suspense novel unlike any I have read before.  Though it was written in 1992 and is somewhat dated in technology as a result, Hoover weaves a very convincing tale. A terrorist has gained control of a nuclear device and a vehicle that is capable of placing it anywhere he chooses. One lone, barefoot man stands in his way. This lone sailor becomes the world's only hope.

The writing in Project Cyclops is solid. The story is believable and the characters are likable. The plot is hardly new, but Hoover's take on it is decidedly original - at least, it is to me.  As this is a mainstream novel, I was expecting the usual unnecessary sex scene, however I was delighted to see that Hoover didn't try and sneak one in. Instead, he left the integrity of the story and the characters intact. Aside from some over-zealous profanity (from the good guys as well as the bad guys), this was quite a well balanced story.

Project Cyclops continues to restore my hope that you can, indeed, find quality books for free from the Amazon Kindle store. This is one of those books that I intend to keep in the library and read from time to time. I highly recommend Project Cyclops to anyone who enjoys a good diversion.

The Hunger Games

By: Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts.  The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games.  But Katniss has been close to dead before -- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games.  The first of a series of novels penned by Suzanne Collins.  By now, if you don't know about The Hunger Games, you have been stuck under a rock -- or you are just really out of touch with the culture of today.  My wife came home from work with a smile and told me that a co-worker had just read The Hunger Games as a part of a program called Read To Succeed.  The premise is that the book is passed to you to read, free of charge. The only catch is that after you have read the book, you pass it on to someone else who can continue the chain.  My wife read the book, and then she passed it on to me.  I have been wanting to read the series because it sounded like a decent premise and the story has taken the Nation by storm.
This review may irritate some people.
I just thought I would give fair warning.

The story follows Katniss Everdeen as she goes from being a single girl, on the outskirts of an impoverished district in the Nation of Panem, who is trying desperately to keep her family fed after her father died in a mining accident, to a player in a game.  A very brutal game where there can only be one winner, and everyone else ends up dead.  The Hunger Games are little more than a thinly veiled reminder that the Capitol controls everyone, and they can do anything they desire -  including watch you die, solely for their entertainment.  The Gladiatorial-esque Hunger Games pit one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts against each other in the hopes of having a good show of death, destruction, and carnage.  Katniss uses skills that she has picked up, while hunting for food, as a defense and then eventually to attack those who would kill her.  She must survive.  After all, she promised her little sister that she would return.

As far as the plot itself goes, it's original, and the setting is believable enough, that I find the buy-in to be relatively easy.  There were times I found myself eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen to Katniss and the boy tribute, Peeta, from District 12 as they faced challenge after challenge. Collins was able to weave the plot through enough twists and turns that it was almost unpredictable. . . Almost.  Unfortunately, it seemed that there were a few times that she found herself written into a corner, so she pulled out a deus ex machina to get the story moving again.  Though the story was compelling, it felt like it was written for a specific age group, and that group was not mine.  Some of the character emotions and actions felt contrived to me, and that took away from the story.  There were a couple of times I actually rolled my eyes - not at the characters actions, but at the way they were written.

The character development was quite well done.  She gives you a full background on the major character, and just enough of a background on the minor characters - just enough to make you like them, then, well, the Games must go on, right?
That brings me to the inevitable deaths that occur within the Games themselves.  This is, after all, the entire point of the Hunger Games (within the story, not the novel itself).  They were not too graphic, but they were enough to get the vivid image of a death taking place.  My only complaint is that the final kill was anti-climactic.  There was plenty of build-up, but the payoff just wasn't there.  It was like blowing a huge bubble and it deflating instead of giving a satisfying "pop!"

I don't believe that The Hunger Games lives up to the hype surrounding it. It is a quality story, and it can teach a few lessons (not the least of which is that you never really know what you are capable of until you are put to the test), but it just doesn't live up to the billing.  I haven't read Catching Fire or MockingJay yet, so I obviously don't know how The Hunger Games will fit into the trilogy itself -- however, I am intrigued enough to seek out the other two books and see if Collins can bring the story to the levels that Hollywood will push it to.

Serial

By Jack Kilborn and Blake Crouch
Kindle eBook short

I didn't really know what to expect when I downloaded this particular eBook. I knew it was a short story and that it was a 'thriller', but that was all I payed any attention to.
Wow. It was something.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I should mention that all I normally read are Christian books - thrillers, mystery, fantasy, whatever. . . They are all by Christian authors. Serial isn't like that, and it was evident when the killer started raping his victim.

I'll grant you that there are plenty of serial killers who do despicable, horrible things to their victims (Dahmer, anyone?), but that;s not something I want to relax to. I'm all for horrific, painful deaths and sadistic twists that make your stomach turn, but I don't want anything like rape to enter the picture.

But, what's done is done.

What really freaked me out with this story is that I had an idea for a book that I have been working on for a while now, and as I read this short, it was like the two authors had heard my thoughts. They were implementing a version of my idea! It was weird.
I can't say what my idea was because that would ruin the book, but suffice it to say I was a bit disappointed.

The book itself wasn't very well written. It appeared to be tossed together, although I liked chapter 2 better than chapters 1 or 3.
Yes, this book is only 3 chapters long. It took me a total of 15 minutes to get through it, and that was with me reading it at work.

If you like über secular thrillers, or very short books that don't involve much thought, Serial could be for you. Personally, I may not ever read it again, and that wouldn't hurt me a bit.

I downloaded Serial for free through Kindle. It wasn't part of any promotion, just go to Amazon's Kindle section and set the list order to "price: low to high" and you should be able to find it there for free.