One of things about being a writer is that you also should read.

A lot. Like, really a lot.

I think the reason for this is that it keeps you head in the ‘wordspace’ and lets you see what the other guys are doing and how they’re doing it. Regardless, I thought I’d take this opportunity to post a few of the things I’ve read recently and a short review for each.

 I enjoyed this story. The premise was a good one, the action kept it moving, and the dialogue was easy to read. It was by no means the worst thing I’ve read from the Kindle Store.

That being said, I think the whole thing could’ve benefitted from another round of content editing. The protagonist seemed a little two dimensional and many of his actions and reactions seemed unrealistic. It was a fun read if you don’t pay too much attention to details but there were enough of those detail speed bumps that it negatively affected my experience. I’ll probably give another book in the series a try, but if the polish isn’t there I doubt I’d keep up with the whole thing.

This short but intense entry into the star wars canon is a welcome addition, I think. It takes the reader into the darker side of life in the New Republic and introduces them to a woman who lives as a spy and a mercenary. There is no mention of the force or of any of the standard things you might see in any star wars tale outside of the occasionally technology or racial reference. What you are left with is a gritty, action packed story with a dark but likable protagonist and supporting characters that balance her out nicely. The only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars is that I did see one particular plot twist coming, but that could just be me. Overall, a great, well told tale that does an admirable job of introducing Bazine Netal to the fans.

I’ve got a real love/hate thing going with this book. I love a lot of it; the setting is real and visceral, the writing is crisp and clear, the magic is raw, and the villains are really nasty. The problem I have with is that it seems like everybody is a villain. Look, I get the anti-hero concept and I like a setting where it all on the fringes of the everyday world, but there’s anti-hero and then there’s just selfish, unlikable prick who just so happens to do a good thing for his own reasons. For me, the protagonist of this book walked and- more often than not -crossed that line. I actually found myself hoping that he would end up dead at one point. I found this to be a very well written an constructed book with a protagonist that was in no way likable, in my opinion. I’m sure it’s got an audience and they will love it, but I’ll probably give book two a pass.

I’m a big fan of Jonathan Maberry’s work, lets get that out of the way up front. I’ve read everything (I think) that he’s written and enjoyed the vast majority of it. I am also a tabletop RPG gamer with 30+ years of dice slinging and world building under my belt. When I heard that Maberry was going to be writing in the setting popularized by the Deadlands role-playing game, it was pretty much a ‘shut up and take my money’ kind of scenario. I wasn’t disappointed. Maberry captured the flavor and feel of the Deadlands setting quite well and the story he wove was compelling and interesting. That being said, it had two major flaws that seemed to pull me away from the experience. The first is that I think the book was too long. The paperback weighs in at a hefty 476 pages. While some stories can fill that much paper without feeling drawn out, this wasn’t one of them for me. The second problem is that some of the characters, particularly the Sioux Scientist Looks Away, feel a bit too constructed and contrived; having too many convenient answers and problem solving experiences in their past. Overall, this is a fun read for Weird West fans if you don’t mind leaving most of your critical thinking at the door.

 Since I’m on my Jonathan Maberry Fanboy kick, I’ll wrap up with X-Files: Trust No One. While Maberry did not write this collection of short stories set in the popular 90’s TV universe, he did edit it and put it together. If you like the X-files then definitely check it out. There are some really, really fun stories in here that take Mulder and Scully into some weirder places than the show ever did, even giving us a glimpse into ADA Skinner’s experiences in Vietnam. The audio performances are over all good and it’s just a fun romp into a fictional world that I, for one, miss.

That’s all for now. I hope all my American friends had a good Thanksgiving holiday and all the rest of you are doing equally well. Until next time, keep reading and don’t let the jokers get you down.