Dead Heroes Free Weekend

This weekend, the new science fiction Dead Heroes will be free for Kindle users through Monday midnight.

The hope is a few of the many people who download it will give a review and/or mention the title on their blog. Will that be you?"

Here's the overview:
The people of the planet New Esrii, refugees from Earth, live in a time of uncertainties. The star Lambda2, from a neighboring binary system, is on a tangential orbit that will closely pass their galaxy. Preparations to withstand the predicted hardships have been underway for several years. But now comes a new problem. A fleet of ships is approaching from another planet in their system.
The covert Hurist Coalition, watchdog of New Esrii culture, is certain these approaching ships will attack them. The reason for their alarm is secreted in the culture's history, when dissidents were shunted aside so advancements could be made. The combined events have this vitalistic society headed for civil war.
Four people from New Esrii are in prime positions to aid their culture. Sinoa and Nathan are drawn to each other by uncanny means, and each has the ability to shed light on the various inaccuracies in their culture's history. Zaya, Sinoa's mother, is part of the Hurist Coalition and has concerns for what is developing; her actions become crucial as civil war looms. Gerren, space fleet commander, will sacrifice everything to get New Esrii citizens to understand what's going on. Each wants to avert the civil war by bringing the truth to New Esrii.
Can they do it? And, since Lambda2 threatens to wipe New Esrii off the star map, will their actions be for naught?

To download the book, click here.

The Royal Wulff Murders – Review

The Royal Wulff Murders: A Novel is a well-written story with great descriptions and sense of place. The mystery involves fly fishing, and for outdoor enthusiasts, there's a lot here to enjoy.

From Publisher:

"When a fishing guide reels in the body of a young man on the Madison, the Holy Grail of Montana trout rivers, Sheriff Martha Ettinger suspects foul play. It's not just the stick jammed into the man's eye that draws her attention; it's the Royal Wulff trout fly stuck in his bloated lower lip. Following her instincts, Ettinger soon finds herself crossing paths with Montana newcomer Sean Stranahan.
Fly fisher, painter, and has-been private detective, Stranahan left a failed marriage and lackluster career to drive to Montana, where he lives in an art studio decorated with fly-tying feathers and mouse droppings. With more luck catching fish than clients, Stranahan is completely captivated when Southern siren Velvet Lafayette walks into his life, intent on hiring his services to find her missing brother. The clues lead Stranahan and Ettinger back to Montana's Big Business: fly fishing. Where there's money, there's bound to be crime."

Through the course of this mystery, author Keith McCafferty (a name you might know if you read Field and Stream magazine) provides interesting facts on fly fishing and the whirling disease that infects trout in many Western waterways. He also has integrated details of tracking, and types of weapons—beyond rod and reel.

For me, the main protagonist, Sean Stranahan, could have been developed better. He often fades behind more dynamic characters. Perhaps that withdrawn/bland aspect is part of his character. Sheriff Martha Ettinger, however, is well developed, with personality coming through—strengths and weaknesses.

The character of Velvet LaFayette is too mysterious to be believable, and the fact that Sean becomes captivated by her seems to add to his blandness. I didn't find her as compelling as she is purported to be and read through her scenes wondering when I'd get back to the main story. Not that she isn't part of the main story. Velvet is the reason Sean became involved in the murder investigation, but she dominates more of the story than I thought necessary.

But then, I like mystery stories to have the mystery front-and-center. Although crime solving is a major part of The Royal Wulff Murders, overall it has too much Romance for me.

Other characters and their settings are dynamic and well presented, from fishing guide Sam, to tracker Harold Little Feather, and the rich summer fly-ins who populate the story and the Montana riverbanks.

There is a long monologue that ends the mystery. I had felt the story got overly complex at times, and here it seems as if McCafferty was writing his way out of corners. Then there are the wrap-ups, which, if the romances hadn't been so prominent, wouldn't have been needed.

Throughout, McCafferty presents very nice use of language that make the scenes spring to life, and the character of the Treasure State—Montana—come to the fore. I'm a Montanan. It rings true.

A FOUR star title, with reservations caused by my personal preferences. A good outdoors mystery.

For more of Kae's book reviews Click here.

The Blasphemer - Review

The Blasphemer is a very well crafted, Espionage/Political Thriller. The writing is good with an interesting storyline that the author, John Ling, calls "faction" in that it has so much based on facts from current events. He gives the connections in the Author's Notes and essays at the end of the book. These facts are were informative, and he worked them into the story efficiently and believably.

From the book page:

When Abraham Khan releases an e-book condemning radical Islam, the consequences hit him fast and hard--an armed fanatic smashes into his home one evening, trying to kill him. He survives the harrowing attempt. Just barely. But will he survive the next one?
Maya Raines is the security operator brought in to protect Abraham. She is tough and committed. The very best at what she does. Always one step ahead of the threat.
But Abraham is no ordinary principal--he will not hide, and he will not stay silent. And as rage explodes on the streets and the nation is propelled to the brink, Maya will have to ask herself the hardest question of all: how far would you go to protect one man's right to speak?

I liked the characters. Maya, while exceptional at her defensive work, also has the empathy to understand people; yet she doesn't let it intrude on her duties. And she doesn't let her own fears and pains compromise her job. Maya and her mother, and another operative, Adam, are well-drawn and compelling.

So to are the various other characters, from the manipulative "Magellan" who plots to kill Abraham Khan, to the Muslim woman who gruesomely loses her life in a street riot.

Fast paced, with plenty of firefights as well as sleuthing, The Blasphemer is not one to miss.

For more of Kae's book reviews Click here.

Why I Don’t Tweet

A cat ran onto the soccer pitch at Anfield (England) during the Liverpool v. Tottenham match. Stopped play for nearly five minutes. Twenty minutes later, announcer said that Cat already had a twitter account. Yup.

In fact, two hours later, it had at least two twitter accounts, and each had more than 3,000 fans.

How can I compete with THAT!? I can’t even hit 20 on my blog.