Brian Burt's Blog: Work in Progress - Posts Tagged "book-review"

This is just a quick announcement post to thank fellow Goodreads author Troy Jackson for interviewing me on his excellent Tempest Works site. Feel free to check it out if you're interested:

Tempest Works Guest Interview

Thanks, Troy!

Also (good things come in pairs, eh? ;-), a very nice review of my novel Aquarius Rising: In the Tears of God was just posted on the Albedo One web site, where I published a short story a few years back. You can check it out here:

Book Reviews - Demon’s Bento #3 July 2013

Thank you to Julian White at Albedo One for the kind words!

I'm thrilled and honored that Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer at Midwest Book Review, just posted a very kind and complimentary review of Aquarius Rising: In the Tears of God in the January 2015 edition of MBR. For those who are interested, the entire review can be read here:

Midwest Book Review - January 2015

What an uplifting way to begin the new year. Thanks, Diane and MBR, for the much-appreciated encouragement!

A reviewer from the Online Book Club just posted a very gracious review of my debut novel, Aquarius Rising: In the Tears of God, rating the book 4 out of 4 stars! Here's an excerpt that really warmed my heart:

This first-rate book has easily earned 4 out of 4 stars. The author writes clearly and concisely, and keeps the story moving at a good pace while peeking into the minds of various bizarre lifeforms. He gives us plenty of subplots and supporting characters without creating confusion. The grammar is impeccable. There is no drab filler material. The tension builds steadily, leading to a final showdown and a satisfying ending. As an added bonus, he refrains from using profanities and graphic sex, making the novel suitable for young readers.

This novel should gratify nearly all SF fans and readers interested in intelligent oceanic beings. However, even if you don't ordinarily read SF, there's a good chance you will enjoy this stirring imaginative story.

My sincere gratitude to the folks at OBC for reviewing the novel and being so complimentary! You can read the entire review here:

Official Review: Aquarius Rising Book 1: In the Tears of God

When you have a new novel released (at least, when you're a relative rookie like me ;-), you anxiously await the feedback from those first few reviews. Aquarius Rising: Blood Tide has been out for about a month now, and I'm relieved to share the results of "early polling." (Guess I've been watching too much presidential campaign coverage... but how can you avoid it?)

Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer for Midwest Book Review, published a very complimentary review in the September edition of MBR Bookwatch. Here's an excerpt:

Book Two of the 'Aquarius Rising' trilogy shows that in a truly superior trilogy, the second book may hold an ability to stand alone but ideally will be chosen after the first is digested, only because the characters, setting, and crisis so exquisitely portrayed in In the Tears of God are smoothly continued here, with such a background...

Readers should anticipate a heady combination of action and intrigue based on the events of Book One, in a post-apocalyptic setting that questions heroes, leaders, and a looming war between Mother Earth and Mother Ocean. Based in a world that's survived climate change, the impact of loneliness, life-or-death decision-making processes, and the effects of ongoing conflict illustrate the very different challenges of handling interactions between two worlds almost inhabiting the same body of Earth, making Blood Tide a top recommendation for readers who like 'climate change' dystopian stories with more than a dose of philosophical reflection paired with nonstop crisis mode style action.

That review definitely boosted my morale and energized my efforts to complete Book 3 in the trilogy. This week, Online Book Club published a glowing review of the novel as well:

This exceptional book has easily earned 4 out of 4 stars. The fast-paced story includes timeless topics such as loyalty, trust, guilt, betrayal, forgiveness, atonement, redemption, and life after death. Mr. Burt writes clearly and concisely, with first-rate grammar. He avoids the gloomy atmosphere so common in post-apocalyptic novels, and paints a remarkably vivid picture of his undersea world, which includes numerous intriguing organisms, such as sentient living reefs and vampire squids. The tension builds to a gripping climax, but the victors do not gloat afterward.

One characteristic of the finest SF, such as the Aquarius Rising novels, is that you can enjoy reading the book even if you are not a big science fiction fan. The author has a well-founded confidence in his storytelling abilities, and does not resort to sensationalism to attract readers. This book includes no profanities or explicit sex, and the violence is not excessively gory, so it is suitable for readers of all ages. This is a great book for nearly everyone.

Nice to be endorsed for being "kid-safe": frankly, I'd love to hook young adult readers. That's when I became addicted to SF myself; I'm okay with being a "speculative fiction pusher." (Hey, it's medicinal... really!)

I know there will be negative reviews as well (there always are, since reading is a very personal experience). I've steeled myself for those, and will hopefully learn valuable lessons from them that will help me refine my craft. But these two reviews will provide much-needed salve for the delicate writer ego. Thanks, MBR and OBC!