Cameron Bogan (Author of Meeting Kentucky)

Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2) by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I had a lot to say about Red Rising, and I think I stand by most of what I had to say. But Brown really turns it around here. The prose is much better. The character overload is tapered. The sci-fi tech dump is limited. The language is much more consi ...more
1 hour, 54 min ago · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing Ghost in the Grove by Frank Reddy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I was honored to be an early recipient/ARC of the manuscript on this one. To be spoiler-free: Reddy plays around with time, religion, and memory in this southern backwoods tale. His language is King-ian, themes in the realm of Pizzolatto, and a setting ...more
Aug 03, 2026 08:32AM · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book liked it It Came From Memphis by Robert Gordon	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Exceptionally well researched and written. It’s a great supplement to Robert Palmer’s “Deep Blues” - possibly my favorite NF book to date. Though where Palmer focuses on the legends and icons that shape blues, this book focuses on the niche backgroun ...more
Jun 29, 2026 07:22PM · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
What a ride. This was my first foray into medieval/fantasy literature along these lines, but what an achievement in writing. The Southern Gothic influence cannot be ignored, and the historical immersion into plague-ridden France pairs well with the t ...more
Jun 21, 2026 10:11AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cameron Bogan rated a book it was ok Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered. My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in ...more
May 26, 2026 11:09AM · 1 like · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is my 3rd Vonnegut, and as always, it’s a weird one. You gotta know what you’re getting into with this guy. He’s not for everyone. This book does a lot though, though it seemingly rambles and goes nowhere. He is building an absurd world that he’s ...more
May 26, 2026 10:56AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing Sombrero Fallout (Arena Books) by Richard Brautigan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The humor of this book seems way ahead of its time for a late ‘70s work. Brautigan is nuts and brilliant going back and forth between an ice-cold sombrero and lamenting a love lost. Does it have anything thematic going on? Maybe. There’s something to ...more
May 10, 2026 05:01PM · 1 like · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book liked it Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It was ok! I enjoy Steinbeck’s fiction. As far as my first ride with his non-fiction goes, it’s not as strong as the rest of his body of work. It starts off strong and observant throughout his adventures in the north. As he cuts through the South and ...more
May 05, 2026 07:00PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jeeter Lester is a man in a hole, knowing how to get out of it, but refusing to do so. I found this book looking for other writers from Coweta County. Caldwell gives us a time capsule of rural Georgia in the Depression. Maybe some of its meaning has ...more
May 03, 2026 06:06PM · like · see review
Cameron Bogan rated a book it was ok Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered. My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in ...more
Apr 15, 2026 07:23PM · 1 like · like · see review

Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it

Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2)
by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I had a lot to say about Red Rising, and I think I stand by most of what I had to say.

But Brown really turns it around here. The prose is much better. The character overload is tapered. The sci-fi tech dump is limited. The language is much more consi ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing

Ghost in the Grove
by Frank Reddy

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I was honored to be an early recipient/ARC of the manuscript on this one.

To be spoiler-free:

Reddy plays around with time, religion, and memory in this southern backwoods tale. His language is King-ian, themes in the realm of Pizzolatto, and a setting ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book liked it

It Came From Memphis
by Robert Gordon

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Exceptionally well researched and written. It’s a great supplement to Robert Palmer’s “Deep Blues” - possibly my favorite NF book to date. Though where Palmer focuses on the legends and icons that shape blues, this book focuses on the niche backgroun ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing

Between Two Fires
by Christopher Buehlman (Goodreads Author)

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

What a ride. This was my first foray into medieval/fantasy literature along these lines, but what an achievement in writing. The Southern Gothic influence cannot be ignored, and the historical immersion into plague-ridden France pairs well with the t ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book it was ok

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)
by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered.

My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered.

My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in some Percy Jackson, Ender’s Game, and a smidgen of Dune, and bam, you’ve got this book.

He’s a scrappy teen of low birth entered in to a game against quite a few other teens where they play an enormous simulated war. There’s weapons, there’s allegiances, there are game proctors that insert themselves into the game and provide gifts and resources to our competitors. The only large difference between this plot and HG is that the competitors are dissuaded from killing, and they instead are encouraged to focus on strategy and domination of resources.

The world-building is interesting, but not often fleshed out in great detail. There’s a caste system in play, and our protagonist is from the bottom rung, attempting to weasel himself into the upper rung. The middle rungs are referenced fairly often but not really explained to a degree where you understand their relevance.

Same goes for characters - there are a million of them. Some get dedicated descriptions and personalities, others are name-dropped often but contribute no meaningful dialogue and seem more like a distraction to the story than anything impactful. I don’t need to know all of the generals and lieutenants if they don’t have a time to shine. The story is told in first-person – just rely on the limited narrative that comes from that!

Technology - probably the least fleshed out. There are a dozen or so sci-fi weapons either vaguely explained or demonstrated in context, but some get no explanation at all for what they are and are only referred to by lingo. — Also a piece of this is entirely lifted from Dune, where people wear futuristic body-shields that can only be penetrated by thin blades. Cmon, man!

The climax - where was it? I got 10 pages to the end wondering if I had missed something. I guess MAYBE it could be considered when he pins the Jackal, but even that ends unceremoniously. Even though the work is a part of a larger series, the payoff really wasn’t all that exciting by the end of it. As a standalone work, it really just feels like an extremely long part 1 of whatever is to come next. And this is 400-page book!

The language - inconsistent. It seems like at times he suddenly remembered his high society would occasionally speak in High English. Some sentences feel really out of place when he suddenly switches into George RR Martin-speak. If I had to read “bloodydamn” or “gorydamn” again, I might’ve gorydamn lost it.

Our dear protagonist - covered in armor, plot armor, and an exorbitant amount of self-confidence that never waivers – and never really has a hole poked through it. There are countless instances in this book where our first-person narrator compliments himself “I am so strong,” “I am good at ___,” yadda yadda. The only real barrier for him is the central caste system rigged against him, but he’s otherwise a flawless figure and runs into next to no trouble overcoming any difficulty he encounters. He stumbles here and there, but gets right back on top as if nothing happened. There are some Jon Snow comparisons that could be made to Darrow in this way.

Themes - I get it. It’s classic dystopia at its core. It says some interesting things I don’t think Hunger Games quite touched on as much. Where Collins focuses more on the angles of propaganda and high society hegemony, Brown focuses more on the notion of a rigged, nepotistic system where the rich get richer, etc. Katniss didn’t spend nearly as much time focusing on class-consciousness as Darrow does in this work.

Brown clearly had a lot of ideas, some interesting, some meh. The world is unique, a hodge-podge of sci-fi, dystopia, and high fantasy. But he took a lot of time to get to a payoff I don’t think was there. I enjoyed the ride! It’s fun! Not excessively original, but entertaining nonetheless! ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it

Breakfast of Champions
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

This is my 3rd Vonnegut, and as always, it’s a weird one. You gotta know what you’re getting into with this guy. He’s not for everyone.

This book does a lot though, though it seemingly rambles and goes nowhere. He is building an absurd world that he’s ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book it was amazing

Sombrero Fallout (Arena Books)
by Richard Brautigan

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The humor of this book seems way ahead of its time for a late ‘70s work. Brautigan is nuts and brilliant going back and forth between an ice-cold sombrero and lamenting a love lost.

Does it have anything thematic going on? Maybe. There’s something to ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book liked it

Travels with Charley: In Search of America
by John Steinbeck

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

It was ok! I enjoy Steinbeck’s fiction. As far as my first ride with his non-fiction goes, it’s not as strong as the rest of his body of work.

It starts off strong and observant throughout his adventures in the north. As he cuts through the South and ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book really liked it

Tobacco Road
by Erskine Caldwell

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jeeter Lester is a man in a hole, knowing how to get out of it, but refusing to do so.

I found this book looking for other writers from Coweta County. Caldwell gives us a time capsule of rural Georgia in the Depression. Maybe some of its meaning has ...more

Cameron Bogan rated a book it was ok

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)
by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered.

My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in It’s 2.5 stars, all things considered.

My goodness, this book is a mess. It borrows so heavily thematically and plot-wise from Hunger Games, it is at times just like he rewrote entire scenes from the beloved Suzanne Collins work verbatim. Sprinkle in some Percy Jackson, Ender’s Game, and a smidgen of Dune, and bam, you’ve got this book.

He’s a scrappy teen of low birth entered in to a game against quite a few other teens where they play an enormous simulated war. There’s weapons, there’s allegiances, there are game proctors that insert themselves into the game and provide gifts and resources to our competitors. The only large difference between this plot and HG is that the competitors are dissuaded from killing, and they instead are encouraged to focus on strategy and domination of resources.

The world-building is interesting, but not often fleshed out in great detail. There’s a caste system in play, and our protagonist is from the bottom rung, attempting to weasel himself into the upper rung. The middle rungs are referenced fairly often but not really explained to a degree where you understand their relevance.

Same goes for characters - there are a million of them. Some get dedicated descriptions and personalities, others are name-dropped often but contribute no meaningful dialogue and seem more like a distraction to the story than anything impactful. I don’t need to know all of the generals and lieutenants if they don’t have a time to shine. The story is told in first-person – just rely on the limited narrative that comes from that!

Technology - probably the least fleshed out. There are a dozen or so sci-fi weapons either vaguely explained or demonstrated in context, but some get no explanation at all for what they are and are only referred to by lingo. — Also a piece of this is entirely lifted from Dune, where people wear futuristic body-shields that can only be penetrated by thin blades. Cmon, man!

The climax - where was it? I got 10 pages to the end wondering if I had missed something. I guess MAYBE it could be considered when he pins the Jackal, but even that ends unceremoniously. Even though the work is a part of a larger series, the payoff really wasn’t all that exciting by the end of it. As a standalone work, it really just feels like an extremely long part 1 of whatever is to come next. And this is 400-page book!

The language - inconsistent. It seems like at times he suddenly remembered his high society would occasionally speak in High English. Some sentences feel really out of place when he suddenly switches into George RR Martin-speak. If I had to read “bloodydamn” or “gorydamn” again, I might’ve gorydamn lost it.

Our dear protagonist - covered in armor, plot armor, and an exorbitant amount of self-confidence that never waivers – and never really has a hole poked through it. There are countless instances in this book where our first-person narrator compliments himself “I am so strong,” “I am good at ___,” yadda yadda. The only real barrier for him is the central caste system rigged against him, but he’s otherwise a flawless figure and runs into next to no trouble overcoming any difficulty he encounters. He stumbles here and there, but gets right back on top as if nothing happened. There are some Jon Snow comparisons that could be made to Darrow in this way.

Themes - I get it. It’s classic dystopia at its core. It says some interesting things I don’t think Hunger Games quite touched on as much. Where Collins focuses more on the angles of propaganda and high society hegemony, Brown focuses more on the notion of a rigged, nepotistic system where the rich get richer, etc. Katniss didn’t spend nearly as much time focusing on class-consciousness as Darrow does in this work.

Brown clearly had a lot of ideas, some interesting, some meh. The world is unique, a hodge-podge of sci-fi, dystopia, and high fantasy. But he took a lot of time to get to a payoff I don’t think was there. I enjoyed the ride! It’s fun! Not excessively original, but entertaining nonetheless! ...more

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Preview — Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

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Preview — Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

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Preview — Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

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