The Thorn by Daron D. Fraley

The Thorn
by Daron D. Fraley

Fantasy
300 pages, softcover
Target Reader: Adult

Valor Publishing Group
978-1-935546-11-5
Release Date: March 16, 2010



From the publisher:

Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ’s birth on an unknown world – Earth – is about to appear in the heavens.

During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon – a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others.

In the end, Pekah’s selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

I know Daron Fraley. He's one of my author friends, a good guy and a debut author. I'm happy to help spread the word about his new book.

Before I get to my personal opinion, I need to state that although I love fantasy (it's my genre of choice), with very few exceptions, epic fantasy is not my favorite sub-genre. Generally, an epic fantasy is heavy on setting, historical details, lots of wars, lots of characters, and by the time they're done winning their never-ending battle, I'm to the point that I don't really care. I like my fantasy to be character-driven, with a few plot twists, a few short battles, and then the good guy wins.

That said, fans of epic fantasy will most likely enjoy this book. The Thorn is set in a pre-industrial society, and the future of the world is at stake. The people live in tribes and when the king is murdered, a war ensues with some groups vying for power while other groups want to protect their freedoms. Fraley includes rich historical details about the tribes and their religious system, which will be easily recognized by Christians.

Fraley does a wonderful job describing his world, with three moons and two blue suns. The details of the sword (it glows), the thorn (he who owns the thorn, rules the world), and the everyday life in this world are amazing. And true to epic status, there is a lot of fighting in the book. It's the classic tale of good vs evil, power vs freedom, and loyalty vs betrayal.

One downside, which is personal preference, is there are a lot of characters in this story. I like character-driven stories and with this one, with so many points of view, it was hard for me to really attach to one of them.

My recommendation: If you like the current character-driven paranormal trend, this book is not for you. However, if you're an epic fantasy fan, give The Thorn a try.


Plot: I really liked the idea of the three tribesmen trying to unite the people and the epic scope of it. However, I felt some of the plot was predictable and the pacing a bit off; sometimes good and sometimes too slow.

Characters: The three main characters are pretty good, but the characterization is inconsistent—sometimes strong and realistic, sometimes incomplete.

Ending: Set up for a sequel.

Cover: I really do not like the cover.



Content Ratings

Language:

Violence: This is war. There are definitely war-type scenes—death, fierce fighting, betrayal, lies, murder, and more.

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes: Loyalty, forgiveness, integrity, brotherhood.

Age Appropriate: For adults.

Writing Mechanics: My biggest complaint is inconsistency. Sometimes the plot, pacing, description, dialog, characterization was spot on—and absolutely beautiful. And at other times, it was slow, predictable, or confusing.

*I received a review copy from the publisher.

© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells

Mr. Monster (John Cleaver #2)
by Dan Wells

YA Horror
288 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 14+

TOR
978-0-7653-2790-1
Release Date: September 28, 2010



From the publisher:

I killed a demon. I don’t know if it was really, technically a demon, but I do know that he was some kind of monster, with fangs and claws and the whole bit, and he killed a lot of people. So I killed him. I think it was the right thing to do. At least the killing stopped.

Well, it stopped for a while.

In I Am Not a Serial Killer, John Wayne Cleaver saved his town from a murderer even more appalling than the serial killers he obsessively studies.

But it turns out even demons have friends, and the disappearance of one has brought another to Clayton County. Soon there are new victims for John to work on at the mortuary and a new mystery to solve.

John Wayne Cleaver has always known he has a dark side but he’s fought hard to oppress it and live a normal life—separating John from Mr Monster to survive. But after confronting and destroying the vicious killer that was terrorizing his town, his inner monster is getting stronger and harder to contain.

John has tasted death, and the dark nature he used as a weapon—the terrifying persona he calls “Mr. Monster”—might now be using him.

With the police failing to catch Clayton County’s second serial killer John is going to have to use his secret knowledge of the first demon-killer to trap the second...but will he be able to avoid suspicion falling on him, and, in the face of extreme horrors, will he be able to restrain Mr Monster?

No one in Clayton is safe unless John can vanquish two nightmarish adversaries: the unknown demon he must hunt and the inner demon he can never escape.

Series: I Am Not a Serial Killer

Darker than I Am Not a Serial Killer, John Wayne Cleaver is not quite as endearing this time around. Killing a demon has taken its toll and no John's dealing with the consequences. In addition to the escalating temptation toward violence from within himself, John must face an FBI agent investigating the disappearance of John's neighbor; his dysfunctional family; an abusive potential brother-in-law; and another killer on the loose.

Mr. Monster is also more violent than book one. There is some graphic violence, torture, abuse. John's descent into darkness—figuratively and literally—is very disturbing in places. Parents should read this book before giving it to their teens.

However, even with the stepped-up violence, this is an exceptional book. The writing is wonderful. The plotting and pacing is spot on. The characterization is wonderful. And in the end? I'm cheering for John and waiting for book three!


Plot:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover: Once again, I like the UK version better.



Content Ratings

Language: Some mild swearing.

Violence: More violence than the first book. Several women are held hostage, tortured and killed by a demon. John is also held hostage and tortured, but escapes. John's sister is the victim of domestic violence. John acts out and breaks some of his "rules".

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes: The darker themes—confronting evil both inside yourself and in those around you—are tough to read at times. But the idea that we can control ourselves and that good is stronger than evil are excellent.

Age Appropriate: Depends upon the maturity of the reader. Some readers will find this too disturbing. I'd suggest 16 and up.

Writing Mechanics:


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston

Secret Sisters
by Tristi Pinkston

LDS Cozy Mystery
260 pages, hardcover
Target Reader: LDS Adult

Valor Publishing Group
978-1-935546-09-2
Release Date: March 16, 2010



From the Publisher:

Ida Mae Babbitt, president of the Omni 2nd ward Relief Society, didn't mean to become a spy. But when visiting teaching stats are low and she learns that one family under her care is in financial trouble, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure they have what they need. If that includes planting surveillance cameras in their home and watching them from a parked car in the woods, well, isn't that what any caring Relief Society president would do?

With the help of her counselors Arlette and Tansy, Ida Mae soon learns that there's more to the situation than meets the eye. It's all in a day's work for the Relief Society.

Read Ida Mae's blog and become her Facebook friend.

If you're looking for light-hearted fun reading, Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston is for you. The first novel in a new series, it is hands down the funnest book I've read in a long time!

This book has all the elements I love in a story: mystery, suspense, murder, mayhem, a huge dose of humor, a hint of romance, snappy dialog, well-rounded characters, and a plot that keeps the pages turning. I was frustrated when I had to stop reading for any reason.

Ida Mae, the Relief Society President and the ring-leader of the Secret Sisters is a hoot—especially when she is trying not to judge others. She's got a great heart and wants to do the right thing, but somehow she only seems to get herself deeper into trouble. I totally fell in love with her. Ida Mae is now my role model.

I also loved Arlette, another member of the group. She is so grumpy—we all know grumpy old women like her. But she's not a stereotype. She has several endearing qualities and I was quite impressed with her when I discovered the reason behind her fanatical knitting.

And Ida Mae's nephew, Ren? Well, I loved him too—and not just because he shares a name with my newest grandson. This guy is like a total science nerd, but cute and funny. Without his help building electronic spying devices, the Secret Sisters would not have solved the mystery.

This book is thoroughly entertaining. I was reading Secret Sisters at a doctor's office and found myself laughing out loud (that would be LOL in ALL CAPS and BOLDED) multiple times at some of her comments and behaviors—to the annoyance of all the other people in the room. (Sorry.) (Not really.)

Plot:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:



Content Ratings

Language:

Violence: There's a murder ("off screen") and attempted murder, but the violence is very low level.

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes:

Age Appropriate: For adults, although some older teens may enjoy it.

Writing Mechanics:


*I received a review copy from the publisher.


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Women of the Book of Mormon by Heather B. Moore

Women of the Book of Mormon
by Heather B. Moore

LDS Non-fiction, Historical
288 pages, hardcover
Target Reader: LDS Adult

Covenant
978-1608610075
Release Date: May 3, 2010



From the publisher:

Explore the lives, circumstances, and choices of women in the Book of Mormon in this uplifting and inspiring volume that illustrates the parallels between the lives of the women of the Book of Mormon and LDS women today.

With new insights on practically every page, author Heather B. Moore explores the written and unwritten stories of the prominent women in the Book of Mormon, taking familiar material and providing vivid details about family dynamics, domestic practices, and other aspects of daily life. By exploring historic and cultural contexts to the situations of women like Sariah, Abish, Eve, Mary, and the faithful mothers of the stripling warriors, you will peek beneath the surface of the scriptural accounts to better understand both the righteous women of the Book of Mormon, and the women who didn't use their agency wisely.

Yes, I know this is not fiction. My blog. I can change the rules if I want. LDS author, Heather Moore (aka H.B. Moore), has a new book out and it's a bit different from her previous historical fiction.

Women of the Book of Mormon: Insights and Inspirations is a beautiful book that features twelve women mentioned in the Book of Mormon—Sariah, Mary, Abish and others. Heather imagines what their lives might have been like—from the physical conditions of their surroundings to family life to cultural expectations and more. She also delves into the issues they faced, the choices they made, and the consequences of those choices. Based on clues from the Book of Mormon and extensive research into the time periods in which they lived, we get an accurate peek into their lives.

Heather's insights into these women are amazing and brought up issues I'd never thought about before.

All of the information on these women is presented clearly; it's fascinating and easy to read and understand. Each chapter starts with a gorgeous piece of art, representing the woman (or group of women) being discussed. The cover image is of Mary, the mother of Christ. Isn't that just breath-taking?

I think my favorite chapter was about Sariah, wife of Lehi. Reading about what she gave up and what she had to deal with during the journey to the Promised Land overwhelmed me with gratitude for the conveniences (read: modern appliances) I've been blessed with and the ease of my life.

What I especially liked about this book is the way Heather focuses in on a particular challenge each woman meets, and then likens it to our own lives. Over and over again as I read this book, I found myself going back to a quote from the Foreword written by Kate Terry Hansen, PhD, "In so many ways we are different. In so many ways we are the same." That is the message of this book. While our lives are very different from the lives of these women, they are also very much the same—and we can gain strength and comfort from their examples.

I recommend this book to LDS women, especially those who might be feeling alone, abandoned or just need a little reminder of sisterhood.

Plot: There's not really a plot, but it's great writing.

Characters: Wonderful insights into these women of history.

Cover: Gorgeous! As are the illustrations inside.



Content Ratings

Language:

Violence:

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes:

Age Appropriate:

Writing Mechanics:

*Review copy provided by Heather B. Moore.

© 2010 It's a Book Affair