Yesterday's Gone: Season Two by Sean Platt & David W. Wright
Collective Inkwell: 11/16/13
eBook review copy, 495 pages
ISBN-13: 2940148889588
Yesterday's Gone: Season Two by Sean Platt & David W. Wright
is a continuation of the serialized set of six books/seasons. Each book
is broken down into episodes. After reading Season One, I continued on
to Season Two and I'll have to admit that my feelings about the series
have plummeted to a so-so rating. There is too much swearing, gore, violence, and not
enough character and plot development for me. Sure there is action and
lots of stuff going on, but the forward movement seemed lacking. Action
just for its own sake is not plot development. Obviously, I'm in the
minority as most readers are rating it higher but this second book,
while entertaining, will be my last in the series.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Collective Inkwell for review
purposes.
Yesterday's Gone: Season One by Sean Platt, David Wright
Collective Inkwell: 9/30/11
eBook review copy, est. 500 pages
ISBN-13: 2940152172553
Yesterday's Gone: Season One by Sean Platt, David Wright is a (maybe) highly recommended start to a serialized post-apocalyptic series.
The premise to Yesterday's Gone grabbed my attention
immediately: very few people are left alive after a world changing event
occurred at 2:15 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on October 15th. At that
time everyone fell asleep and then 99.9% of the world's population
simple vanished after a reported dark cloud ascended on everyone. There
are other, odd things missing as well.
The book is written as if you are following episodes of an ongoing TV
series where, as the questions abound and multiply, all the answers are
yet to be revealed. The episodes introduce us to the cast of
characters: a journalist, a serial killer, a mother and daughter,
several teens, a special agent, and an eight-year-old boy, and then
follow their actions as they try to figure out what has happened and
where they should do. As they are seeking answers, terrifying
creatures/monsters begin to appear and are becoming more and more
common. The monster only purpose seems to be to kill the survivors.
But, you need to know going into this that it may be a long haul to
get some answers since this is "season one" of six so-called seasons
(books) and each season contains "episodes." I would agree that this
first book did make me think of The Stand and Lost, but,
at this point after season one, it's not nearly as good as either of
those. It's also clear that some scenes and actions are loosely based on
other shows and books, which may bother some readers.
Yesterday's Gone: Season One lends itself to a good news/bad news review summation:
The good news is that you can likely find a digital copy of this first
season somewhere for free. The bad news is that there are currently 6
seasons. The good news is that it is fast-paced, entertaining, sometimes gruesome, and additively readable.
The bad news is the writing quality and character development aren't always very good.
I am going on to read Season Two because I have a review copy of it
and perhaps I'll know after that if I want to continue on reading the
series or not. I do tire of novels written in parts. I much prefer
novels that stand alone and have a beginning, middle and end. (There are
some exceptions, such as Margaret Atwood's three novels in her
MaddAddam trilogy, which work together but can stand alone.)
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Collective Inkwell for review
purposes.
Gold! by Fred Rosen
Open Road Media: 11/17/15
eBook review copy; 352 pages
ISBN-13: 9781504024488
Gold!: The Story of the 1848 Gold Rush and How It Shaped a Nation by Fred Rosen is a recommended nonfiction account of the historical California gold rush and how it changed American culture.
When gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in California on January 24,
1848, it infected the nation with gold fever. "Over the next six years,
three hundred thousand prospectors raced to the
California gold fields to make their fortunes, leaving their lands and
families behind in order to chase a dream of easy wealth, but all too
often encountering a reality of lawlessness, disease, cruelty, and
death."
Rosen, a former columnist for the New York Times, weaves
historical facts and details into this account of the real people and
places of the gold rush era and the get-rich-quick mentality it ignited
in average citizens. He argues, while presenting the historical
information on the discovery of gold and the subsequent gold rush, that
once the common man could dream of instant wealth it fundamentally
changed American culture to one of selfishness and greed.
Having read several books on the California gold rush (as well as the
Black Hills discovery and the Nevada Comstock Lode which are mentioned
too) I did find Rosen's account easy to read and basically informative.
Since I read it while on vacation, it suited me perfectly under the
circumstances. I am admittedly unsure of his Jesse James argument. Those
who follow my reviews will understand that the lack of source notes and
very short bibliography bothered me; I like my nonfiction to have some
great notes and a thorough bibliography.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Open Road Media for review
purposes.
Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Grand Central Publishing: 11/10/15
eBook review copy, 352 pages
hardcover ISBN-13: 9781455525928
Special Agent Pendergast Series #15
www.prestonchild.com
Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a very highly recommended addition to the Pendergast series.
When sculptor Percival Lake asks Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast to
investigate the theft of his precious wine collection, Pendergast
initially declines, but, after hearing more information, he accepts the
challenge. He and his ward, Constance Greene head off to Exmouth,
Massachusetts to investigate. Once inside the wine cellar of the
lighthouse where Lake lives, Pendergast discovers a clue that leads to
more questions about who stole the priceless collection of wine and
why. Clearly, the ineffectual police chief is not a reliable source of
support. It seems that the small town of Exmouth may be hiding more than
one secret. Which raises the question: Could the past transgressions
of the town be responsible for the deaths that have occurred, past and
present?
Preston and Child always deliver and this fifteenth novel featuring
Special Agent Pendergast is no exception. The case this time is a
private investigation rather than an official inquiry. The terror found
in several of the previous novels is back and the tension is ratcheted
up several notches. Even after the case is solved, there is an even
larger and more malicious threat looming. This addition to the series
only features Pendergast and Constance, so long time fans are going to
miss some of the other on-going characters.
I found this novel to be fast-paced, or perhaps that was simply due to
the tension created and my desire to keep reading to see what happened
next. Crimson Shore is well written, perfectly paced, and there
is even a surprise or two thrown into the mix! This is another winner
for Preston and Child, a writing team that simply always produces a
winning novel for me. I can't wait for the next one!
At this point in the series I think this could be a stand-alone novel,
but that is hard for me to say with any certainty because I have read
(and own) every Pendergast novel. Yes, the series is that good.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Grand Central Publishing for review
purposes.
Ball: Stories by Tara Ison
Soft Skull Press: 11/10/15
eBook review copy, 232 pages
Trade paperback ISBN-13: 9781593766221
Ball is a collection of eleven dark, creepy short stories by Tara Ison.
Contents include:
Cactus: a young woman's boyfriend dies in a freakish accident
Ball: a young woman adopts an ugly dog who likes to play ball
Bakery Girl: a teen works at a bakery
Wig: a woman cares for her dying best friend while having an affair with her husband
The Knitting Story: a woman knits and knits...
Staples: a boyfriend's other, older, rich girl friend gets a face lift
Needles: a couple leave Iowa and stay in a Motel 6 in Needles, AZ.
Apology: a woman resorts to self mutilation to win back her husband
Fish: a woman plans to feed her uncle's remains to some fish
Musical Chairs: a man cheats on his fiance
Multiple Choice: a woman has a boyfriend who requires choices that need to be made
The collection is well written, but the themes of several stories were
not very appealing, including the titular Ball, and they were a bit too
disturbing. This was a so-so collection for me.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Soft Skull Press for review
purposes.
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
Simon & Schuster: 11/3/15
eBook review copy; 480 pages
ISBN-13: 9781451664164
http://john-irving.com/
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving is a highly recommended story of a man looking back at his childhood while navigating a trip overseas.
Currently Juan Diego Guerrero, 54, is a recently retired professor and
writer with a limp from a childhood accident. He is taking Lopressor for
his blood pressure and experiments with Viagra. He lives in Iowa but in
Avenue of Mysteries he is going on a trip to the
Philippines. As Juan Diego travels, he dreams, and in his dreams he is
14 and his sister Lupe is 13. During his trip, his dreams take Juan
Diego back in time and tell the story of his childhood.
Many years ago he and Lupe grew up as dump kids in Oaxaca, Mexico. He
was a self-taught reader and interpreter for his sister, whose speech no
one else could understand or interpret. Lupe is known for her ability
to read minds, which she freely shares while Juan Diego translates to
those around them. In these dreams, he and Lupe freely discuss their
problems with the Catholic Church, their prostitute mother, their
unknown fathers, and love of dogs.
While traveling he meets two women, Miriam and Dorothy, who he thinks
are a mother and daughter. He lusts after both of them and they assist
him in his journey, in a manner of speaking. There is a lot of sudden
naps, pill dosage juggling and sex in the present day.
First and foremost the quality of the actual writing is excellent, which
helps facilitate following the present and past story lines. For me,
the dream segments, which take you back to Juan Diego's childhood, are
much better than the present day travels with the eerie women.
Admittedly, I grew tired of the sex-capades and simply kept reading to
learn about what happened in his childhood and to confirm what I thought
about the two women.
For Irving fans there are going to be many themes repeated here that
have shown up in previous novels. Those who are new to Irving may
struggle a bit with these themes; specifically, anyone who is a
practicing Catholic might want to pass this one. I'd have to reread some
of his earlier books, but this time around it felt excessively critical
of Catholicism.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Simon & Schuster for review
purposes.
The Night Clock by Paul Meloy
Rebellion Publishing: 11/5/15
eBook review copy, 384 pages
ISBN-13: 9781781083765
The Night Clock by Paul Meloy is a so-so horror/fantasy set in London.
Phil Trevena is a mental health worker whose patients are killing
themselves. This trend actually signals the start of the end of all
reality unless he and a time traveling hypnopomp named Daniel can help
the Firmament Surgeons stop the Autoscopes and keep the Night clock
running.
The Night Clock is a dream/nightmare world that switches
between characters points of view, settings, realities, and time. It
took intense concentration to follow who was what and where and why as
more and more characters and elements were added to the story. Opening
in a world where Mars is the moon and then switching to a scene with a
zombie attacking a farmhouse, I thought I had misunderstood the
description and this was a collection of short stories, but after the
two jarring opening scenes, the actual novel starts.
Meloy is a descriptive writer and packs a lot of information into his
sentences and chapters. He also has a whole host of characters and
incidents taking place. This may be the indicator of the underlying
problem I had with The Night Clock. It was, simple put, difficult
to engage with any of the characters and hard to follow the plot. This
resulted in the feeling that Meloy needed a larger canvas for this
story, perhaps a series set in this world rather than cramming
everything into this one book.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy
of Rebellion Publishing for review
purposes.
