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The Silver Ninja Prototype #1
The Silver Ninja
The Silver Ninja Prototype Series = Batman & Robin, 1997. Melodramatic, cheesy, poorly written.
The Silver Ninja (2018) = Batman Dark Knight, 2008. Gritty, well-written, polished.
A Bitter Winter is a reboot and is not connected to The Silver Ninja Prototype series.
Life was good for New Yorker Cindy Ames. Sure, her husband’s top secret weapons projects were a little… weird, but at least her career as a gymnastics instructor didn’t involve any covert government contracts. Cindy’s life was peaceful. That is until she snuck into her husband Jonas’ lab after hours. What began as an innocent curiosity catapults her life into an exciting thrill ride, as Cindy accidentally merges with Jonas’ prototype nanosuit. Like a teenager stealing her parents’ car for the night, Cindy becomes an armored super heroine known as The Silver Ninja or so she thought...
She soon discovers that the suit is not at all what it appears to be. As it secretly blurs the line between good and evil, Cindy unknowingly becomes more aggressive, violent and apathetic to the world around her. Cindy becomes her own worst enemy as she plummets into a downward spiral of psychological oblivion. To make matters worse, she must prevent a violent coup d'état from erupting in New York City. Cindy will have to suit up and fight through an avalanche of futuristic weaponry to stop more innocent lives from being lost.
But can she overcome her personal demons before becoming the villain? Will Cindy be able to save herself in time to save her family?
*This book and its sequel Indoctrination are not required reads for The Silver Ninja - A Bitter Winter*
The Silver Ninja (2018) = Batman Dark Knight, 2008. Gritty, well-written, polished.
A Bitter Winter is a reboot and is not connected to The Silver Ninja Prototype series.
Life was good for New Yorker Cindy Ames. Sure, her husband’s top secret weapons projects were a little… weird, but at least her career as a gymnastics instructor didn’t involve any covert government contracts. Cindy’s life was peaceful. That is until she snuck into her husband Jonas’ lab after hours. What began as an innocent curiosity catapults her life into an exciting thrill ride, as Cindy accidentally merges with Jonas’ prototype nanosuit. Like a teenager stealing her parents’ car for the night, Cindy becomes an armored super heroine known as The Silver Ninja or so she thought...
She soon discovers that the suit is not at all what it appears to be. As it secretly blurs the line between good and evil, Cindy unknowingly becomes more aggressive, violent and apathetic to the world around her. Cindy becomes her own worst enemy as she plummets into a downward spiral of psychological oblivion. To make matters worse, she must prevent a violent coup d'état from erupting in New York City. Cindy will have to suit up and fight through an avalanche of futuristic weaponry to stop more innocent lives from being lost.
But can she overcome her personal demons before becoming the villain? Will Cindy be able to save herself in time to save her family?
*This book and its sequel Indoctrination are not required reads for The Silver Ninja - A Bitter Winter*
- GenresEbooksScience Fiction
362 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2012
33 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Wilmar Luna
4 books31 followersAll Wilmar Luna wanted was a story about a female superhero who wasn’t a damsel in distress. He wanted a complex character: someone with inner demons, cool tech, and a world grounded in reality. He wasn’t interested in a goddess from mythology or a gender-swapped version of a male hero. So instead of waiting for that story, he wrote it himself.
Fueled by a love of video games and ’90s pop culture, Wilmar created The Silver Ninja—a conflicted yet powerful woman with the gravitas of Batman and the relatable heroism of Spider-Man.
After years spent in the ninja’s world, Wilmar wanted a change of pace, something darker. He searched for a horror novel that could terrify him, but couldn’t find the right one. So, he wrote Sanctifiction, a series inspired by the eerie and mysterious places hidden throughout New Jersey.
When he’s not writing, Wilmar works as an AV systems manager. Basically, he keeps conference room tech running and makes sure people can hear each other on Teams calls. In his free time, he builds gaming PCs, plays video games, watches movies, and enjoys hanging out with his wife.
You can find Wilmar online at:
https://www.thesilverninja.com
or follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @WilmarLuna.
Fueled by a love of video games and ’90s pop culture, Wilmar created The Silver Ninja—a conflicted yet powerful woman with the gravitas of Batman and the relatable heroism of Spider-Man.
After years spent in the ninja’s world, Wilmar wanted a change of pace, something darker. He searched for a horror novel that could terrify him, but couldn’t find the right one. So, he wrote Sanctifiction, a series inspired by the eerie and mysterious places hidden throughout New Jersey.
When he’s not writing, Wilmar works as an AV systems manager. Basically, he keeps conference room tech running and makes sure people can hear each other on Teams calls. In his free time, he builds gaming PCs, plays video games, watches movies, and enjoys hanging out with his wife.
You can find Wilmar online at:
https://www.thesilverninja.com
or follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @WilmarLuna.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 19, 2014
It is possible that the plot in this book makes the grade, but I will never know because the writing and character development just left too much to be desired, and I opted not to finish the book.
First off, the prose was too stilted for my taste, with awkward, self-aware adjectives, some strange transitions of verb tense, and an overabundance of unusual similes. Oh, the similes! Examples:
Jadie rattled her fingers like a snake as she said to her irritated sister, "Come on, let's go."
Other odors, however, were also out on patrol like muggers stalking an empty alley.
The emergency alarms screamed over and over like a wailing drunk begging for another whiskey.
Seriously? Wow, I admire the creativity, don't get me wrong, but this was just too distracting to read, in my opinion.
Secondly, the characters didn't feel real to me. It was partly the writing, which made it hard to get into the character interactions, but it also was the characters themselves. I found them a little too stereotypical, with exaggerated conflicts and emotional responses. It made it hard for me to identify with anyone.
The writing pretty much makes or breaks a book for me, but I need to bring up one other point about this book. It relates to the characterization of the heroine, which is immediately evidenced in the book's cover. That cover! Now I realize the author has limited input on the cover of a book, and I'm sure there is a wide audience out there who will smile (leer?) when they see the cover. I did not actually reduce the rating based on the cover because I would have given it 2 stars anyway. But what is strange about the visual effect here is that I read an interview with the author, and Mr. Luna specifically states that the idea behind this book is to introduce a super heroine that won't be objectified as has been traditionally done to women in the genre, for example the bustier-wearing Wonder Woman. What?!? The heroine in this novel wears a skin-tight suit that leaves nothing to the imagination! It would be hard to depict this in any way that wasn't objectifying, and the book contains at least one more picture contained in the book that demonstrates my point. This is the old double-standard at work again: you have to have a personal life, professional life, and be strong, but oh yeah, you also have to look good in spandex. I can't figure out if this bothers me more because of the in-your-face cover, because the author is male, or because it contradicts the supposed intention of the heroine's creation to begin with. In any case I found it disturbing.
In summary, I would not recommend this book. The premise is somewhat interesting on paper, but the writing style, characterizations, and main character's oppressive fashion situation all get in the way of the follow through.
First off, the prose was too stilted for my taste, with awkward, self-aware adjectives, some strange transitions of verb tense, and an overabundance of unusual similes. Oh, the similes! Examples:
Jadie rattled her fingers like a snake as she said to her irritated sister, "Come on, let's go."
Other odors, however, were also out on patrol like muggers stalking an empty alley.
The emergency alarms screamed over and over like a wailing drunk begging for another whiskey.
Seriously? Wow, I admire the creativity, don't get me wrong, but this was just too distracting to read, in my opinion.
Secondly, the characters didn't feel real to me. It was partly the writing, which made it hard to get into the character interactions, but it also was the characters themselves. I found them a little too stereotypical, with exaggerated conflicts and emotional responses. It made it hard for me to identify with anyone.
The writing pretty much makes or breaks a book for me, but I need to bring up one other point about this book. It relates to the characterization of the heroine, which is immediately evidenced in the book's cover. That cover! Now I realize the author has limited input on the cover of a book, and I'm sure there is a wide audience out there who will smile (leer?) when they see the cover. I did not actually reduce the rating based on the cover because I would have given it 2 stars anyway. But what is strange about the visual effect here is that I read an interview with the author, and Mr. Luna specifically states that the idea behind this book is to introduce a super heroine that won't be objectified as has been traditionally done to women in the genre, for example the bustier-wearing Wonder Woman. What?!? The heroine in this novel wears a skin-tight suit that leaves nothing to the imagination! It would be hard to depict this in any way that wasn't objectifying, and the book contains at least one more picture contained in the book that demonstrates my point. This is the old double-standard at work again: you have to have a personal life, professional life, and be strong, but oh yeah, you also have to look good in spandex. I can't figure out if this bothers me more because of the in-your-face cover, because the author is male, or because it contradicts the supposed intention of the heroine's creation to begin with. In any case I found it disturbing.
In summary, I would not recommend this book. The premise is somewhat interesting on paper, but the writing style, characterizations, and main character's oppressive fashion situation all get in the way of the follow through.
May 13, 2013
I received this book through the Read it and Reap Program- my first book through this program. I am a little late posting this review. Usually I am a pretty fast reader, but I did not anticipate how difficult this one was going to be for me to read.
Cindy is a gymnastics instructor/owner for Ninja Gymnastics, with a scientist husband who works on top-secret projects. One day she visits him at his office. He isn't there, security is not up to par, and she lets her curiosity get the better of her. Her snooping results in a silver, shiny, form fitting armor/weaponry suit attaching itself to her. With no immediate way to get it off, she goes on all sorts of adventures, which will not be described here so nobody's fun is ruined.
Let's get the major negative out of the way first. The writing is a bit off-putting. Stilted was used in another review, and I would have to agree. I found the writing style extremely distracting, and it is probably the number one reason this book was difficult for me to get through. There are a number of examples on other reviews, so I'm trying not to harp on this too, too much. Also, Cindy is hot. I get it. After a while, though, references to Cindy's hotness became repetitive.
The storyline has a lot of potential. I can definitely see this being made into a movie. It was practically written for Hollywood- a lot of fighting, killing, and simplistic plots. I like the idea of a strong superhero-type heroine. I just wish Cindy was stronger, and a bit more fleshed out. The characters in general were a bit flat- 2D where I need 3D- and annoyingly self-absorbed.
Their motives and actions could possibly be shrugged away in a teen read, but these are supposed to be adults.
I love graphic novels, and comic book style movies, and thought I could love a book like this, but I still need quality when it comes to my novels. There are a lot of things that needed to be questioned early on, and were resolved quickly at the end of the book, almost like an afterthought. Reading this book is the equivalent of watching a cheaply made action flick. Don't look too closely or question too much and you'll probably enjoy it.
Cindy is a gymnastics instructor/owner for Ninja Gymnastics, with a scientist husband who works on top-secret projects. One day she visits him at his office. He isn't there, security is not up to par, and she lets her curiosity get the better of her. Her snooping results in a silver, shiny, form fitting armor/weaponry suit attaching itself to her. With no immediate way to get it off, she goes on all sorts of adventures, which will not be described here so nobody's fun is ruined.
Let's get the major negative out of the way first. The writing is a bit off-putting. Stilted was used in another review, and I would have to agree. I found the writing style extremely distracting, and it is probably the number one reason this book was difficult for me to get through. There are a number of examples on other reviews, so I'm trying not to harp on this too, too much. Also, Cindy is hot. I get it. After a while, though, references to Cindy's hotness became repetitive.
The storyline has a lot of potential. I can definitely see this being made into a movie. It was practically written for Hollywood- a lot of fighting, killing, and simplistic plots. I like the idea of a strong superhero-type heroine. I just wish Cindy was stronger, and a bit more fleshed out. The characters in general were a bit flat- 2D where I need 3D- and annoyingly self-absorbed.
Their motives and actions could possibly be shrugged away in a teen read, but these are supposed to be adults.
I love graphic novels, and comic book style movies, and thought I could love a book like this, but I still need quality when it comes to my novels. There are a lot of things that needed to be questioned early on, and were resolved quickly at the end of the book, almost like an afterthought. Reading this book is the equivalent of watching a cheaply made action flick. Don't look too closely or question too much and you'll probably enjoy it.
June 11, 2013
A wife stumbles on her scientist husband's secret project and unwittingly becomes a superhero, of sorts. When the suit becomes part of her skin, she finds herself doing unimaginable things that are both good and bad. The suit gives her power, but corrupts her personality in unexpected ways. She becomes a paid assassin for hire, and then she must choose what she really wants to be and what is really worth fighting for.
I don't know if the author's intent was to write in an overblown comic book style, but the flowery language and overuse of simile made it tough for me to finish. Yet, finish it, I did. I'm just glad there wasn't a overabundance of alliteration (like Stan Lee used in classic Marvel comics).
By the end, I found the main character to be tough to like. She seemed to go from self-obsessed to an emotional wreck. Some of that was caused by the suit, but some of it wasn't. It feels like most of the conversations in the book should have been full of exclamation points, and it seems like characters that supposedly have good relationships are constantly on the verge of hair-trigger arguing and tantrums. For an independent book, it's got a really great cover. Your mileage may vary.
I don't know if the author's intent was to write in an overblown comic book style, but the flowery language and overuse of simile made it tough for me to finish. Yet, finish it, I did. I'm just glad there wasn't a overabundance of alliteration (like Stan Lee used in classic Marvel comics).
By the end, I found the main character to be tough to like. She seemed to go from self-obsessed to an emotional wreck. Some of that was caused by the suit, but some of it wasn't. It feels like most of the conversations in the book should have been full of exclamation points, and it seems like characters that supposedly have good relationships are constantly on the verge of hair-trigger arguing and tantrums. For an independent book, it's got a really great cover. Your mileage may vary.
January 30, 2023
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.0 of 5
There is a moderately interesting back-story to this book and my decision as to whether or not read and review it. At some point the author made this book available for early reviews. When I first was ready to read this, I did a little reading on the author's website (there were big plans for this book/series) and, largely due to quite a few negative reviews, the author pulled the book so that there could be a rewrite. I thought it only fair to not read and review it. The book resurfaced in my queue and when I looked into it again, it seems that while the author did indeed do a rewrite, he has made the original available for reading and reviewing again. What I found was a pretty run-of-the-mill self-published action/adventure novel.
Cindy Ames is a gymnastics instructor. Her husband, Jonas, works for a clandestine government organization where he develops top secret weapons projects. One day Cindy gets a bit too curious and can't help herself explore an amazing-looking suit of armor. But this top-secret suit of armor, composed of nano machines, is only a prototype and not ready for use, but the nanos bond with Cindy and she becomes one with the suit.
While startling, Cindy quickly decides that being a superhero might just be what she's been destined to do given her gymnastics background. But what she doesn't realize is that the suit is actually changing her behavior and her attitude. Can Jonas fix the suit and save his wife before she becomes the world's most dangerous super villain?
If this was pulp fiction from the 1950's (ala Doc Savage or The Phantom Lady or Miss Fury) it would be just fine - it's got lots of action, cheesy dialog, and some really amusing mixed metaphors ("The soldiers swarmed on her like ants to a picnic table." then just a moment later, in the same paragraph, "...more troops continued to pile on top of her like a quarterback with a football."). The dialog doesn't get much better than this.
Sometimes a cheesy pulp story is just what you're looking for, and seriously, I'd put this right up ('over'?) there with pulp heroes like Domino Lady or Green Lama ... heroes most people have never heard of (often for good reason).
But even this kind of pulp writing has a very limited audience appeal and I suspect this was intended more as a modern action superhero adventure, but the purple prose and explosive subplots really makes this much more in line with a those 1940's pulps. And ... we stop caring for the main characters, which is something you should never do for this kind of fiction.
Looking for a good book? The Silver Ninja by Wilmar Luna (original edition) is a cheesy pulp-like superhero fiction that could find an audience, but it's not a book I'd recommend.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
There is a moderately interesting back-story to this book and my decision as to whether or not read and review it. At some point the author made this book available for early reviews. When I first was ready to read this, I did a little reading on the author's website (there were big plans for this book/series) and, largely due to quite a few negative reviews, the author pulled the book so that there could be a rewrite. I thought it only fair to not read and review it. The book resurfaced in my queue and when I looked into it again, it seems that while the author did indeed do a rewrite, he has made the original available for reading and reviewing again. What I found was a pretty run-of-the-mill self-published action/adventure novel.
Cindy Ames is a gymnastics instructor. Her husband, Jonas, works for a clandestine government organization where he develops top secret weapons projects. One day Cindy gets a bit too curious and can't help herself explore an amazing-looking suit of armor. But this top-secret suit of armor, composed of nano machines, is only a prototype and not ready for use, but the nanos bond with Cindy and she becomes one with the suit.
While startling, Cindy quickly decides that being a superhero might just be what she's been destined to do given her gymnastics background. But what she doesn't realize is that the suit is actually changing her behavior and her attitude. Can Jonas fix the suit and save his wife before she becomes the world's most dangerous super villain?
If this was pulp fiction from the 1950's (ala Doc Savage or The Phantom Lady or Miss Fury) it would be just fine - it's got lots of action, cheesy dialog, and some really amusing mixed metaphors ("The soldiers swarmed on her like ants to a picnic table." then just a moment later, in the same paragraph, "...more troops continued to pile on top of her like a quarterback with a football."). The dialog doesn't get much better than this.
Sometimes a cheesy pulp story is just what you're looking for, and seriously, I'd put this right up ('over'?) there with pulp heroes like Domino Lady or Green Lama ... heroes most people have never heard of (often for good reason).
But even this kind of pulp writing has a very limited audience appeal and I suspect this was intended more as a modern action superhero adventure, but the purple prose and explosive subplots really makes this much more in line with a those 1940's pulps. And ... we stop caring for the main characters, which is something you should never do for this kind of fiction.
Looking for a good book? The Silver Ninja by Wilmar Luna (original edition) is a cheesy pulp-like superhero fiction that could find an audience, but it's not a book I'd recommend.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2013
A sci-fi novel with a strong female protagonist is always a pleasant change in the male-dominated SF world. Assuming that by the blurb, everyone is aware of the basic plot, I will skip it. Overall, it is a good read, and a pretty good attempt by the author considering it is his first book. There are some serious flaws in this work, but it does also have immense redeeming qualities as well. It is quite obviously a flaw of mismanagement of the novel rather than an intellectual flaw. An artistic issue, not an ideological one. And it is better it is not the other way round.
Basic storyline - the storyline, unfortunately, is the biggest flaw. It is not nerve-challenging, or stimulating. It is too simplistic. A simple plot, too, can be wonderful and can become a classic even - provided it has something substantial to fill the vaccuum. Amazing works with simple stories have this endearing quality of examining/challenging or at least commenting upon the human situation in a way that has not been touched upon till now. Like Asimov.
It is also fine if it does not go so deep in the psychological/socio-cultural dilemmas, but it has to have a solid plot then, and details have to be filled in. Twists have to be introduced, the reader has to be kept guessing. Like China Mieville.
Characters - the characters are better fleshed out than most first-time writers, but still lack depth. The conversations are often jarring and common-place. Jadie hardly comes across as a sibling a reader would ever like to have, nor Jonas a partner worth having. If the author's intent was to depict them as imperfect individuals, they have to be fleshed out better with some better use of technique. Yet, it must be said that they weren't as disappointing as is feared in a first book.
Similes, Metaphors - they hang over the work like a mist - every once in a while, they hamper your sight, but many a times, it is a sheer delight to be walking through it. Some of the similes and metaphors were absolutely beautiful, but a few were misplaced.
A very good technique could have been to use them to depict the changing mood/aura of the work. Delightful similes in lighter moments, followed by dark similes in sinister moments. Consider William Gibson's opening line of Neuromancer - The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel - it sets the tone for the whole work.
Details - Details, like similes, should enhance the work, rather than bogging it down. In this case, it did both, in different places. It helped flesh out the characters in the beginning, but distracted in critical scenes - readers have no interest in knowing the color of Silver's nail paint while she's in a critical fight.
Narrative - The narrative's slow speed is delightful when the novel begins - but slowly, it has to pick speed as the story progresses. Else, like excessive/misplaced details, it hampers the plot and the readers' interest. The work needs a much tighter editing. Like a ball set rolling on an inclined plane, the story has to gain speed exponentially.
Logic - the most important part of an SF story is it's logic. For most of the part, it was very good. But it broke when a Martian germ was introduced. Did the plot really need that? Did it impact the plot or its twists, its outcome or the intentions of Raymond in any way? If not, it wasn't needed in the first place. It could be easily and in fact, more credibly depicted as advanced nanotechnology. There also needed to be some pseudo-details about why it healed, how it healed wounds, why it could not exist without a suit. A mere suit cannot justify it as SF, it has to be reinforced with explanations, no matter how imaginative or imaginary. Also, how could the lab ever be so unguarded? That is a serious lapse of logic.
That said, the Specifications of the suit were very well-fleshed out, and the attribution of the weird behavior of the suit to the bacteria was pretty good an idea.
Despite having the above-mentioned issues, the work is NOT bad - it is simply an imperfectly executed work, which, if given more time and details to work upon can be turned very good.
The problem is, it is an SF variation of Spiderman kind of stories, which we are used to. We, as readers, need something more intriguing. The Ninjawoman version is a step ahead, but it needs to leap much ahead to consolidate a fan-following.
Basic storyline - the storyline, unfortunately, is the biggest flaw. It is not nerve-challenging, or stimulating. It is too simplistic. A simple plot, too, can be wonderful and can become a classic even - provided it has something substantial to fill the vaccuum. Amazing works with simple stories have this endearing quality of examining/challenging or at least commenting upon the human situation in a way that has not been touched upon till now. Like Asimov.
It is also fine if it does not go so deep in the psychological/socio-cultural dilemmas, but it has to have a solid plot then, and details have to be filled in. Twists have to be introduced, the reader has to be kept guessing. Like China Mieville.
Characters - the characters are better fleshed out than most first-time writers, but still lack depth. The conversations are often jarring and common-place. Jadie hardly comes across as a sibling a reader would ever like to have, nor Jonas a partner worth having. If the author's intent was to depict them as imperfect individuals, they have to be fleshed out better with some better use of technique. Yet, it must be said that they weren't as disappointing as is feared in a first book.
Similes, Metaphors - they hang over the work like a mist - every once in a while, they hamper your sight, but many a times, it is a sheer delight to be walking through it. Some of the similes and metaphors were absolutely beautiful, but a few were misplaced.
A very good technique could have been to use them to depict the changing mood/aura of the work. Delightful similes in lighter moments, followed by dark similes in sinister moments. Consider William Gibson's opening line of Neuromancer - The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel - it sets the tone for the whole work.
Details - Details, like similes, should enhance the work, rather than bogging it down. In this case, it did both, in different places. It helped flesh out the characters in the beginning, but distracted in critical scenes - readers have no interest in knowing the color of Silver's nail paint while she's in a critical fight.
Narrative - The narrative's slow speed is delightful when the novel begins - but slowly, it has to pick speed as the story progresses. Else, like excessive/misplaced details, it hampers the plot and the readers' interest. The work needs a much tighter editing. Like a ball set rolling on an inclined plane, the story has to gain speed exponentially.
Logic - the most important part of an SF story is it's logic. For most of the part, it was very good. But it broke when a Martian germ was introduced. Did the plot really need that? Did it impact the plot or its twists, its outcome or the intentions of Raymond in any way? If not, it wasn't needed in the first place. It could be easily and in fact, more credibly depicted as advanced nanotechnology. There also needed to be some pseudo-details about why it healed, how it healed wounds, why it could not exist without a suit. A mere suit cannot justify it as SF, it has to be reinforced with explanations, no matter how imaginative or imaginary. Also, how could the lab ever be so unguarded? That is a serious lapse of logic.
That said, the Specifications of the suit were very well-fleshed out, and the attribution of the weird behavior of the suit to the bacteria was pretty good an idea.
Despite having the above-mentioned issues, the work is NOT bad - it is simply an imperfectly executed work, which, if given more time and details to work upon can be turned very good.
The problem is, it is an SF variation of Spiderman kind of stories, which we are used to. We, as readers, need something more intriguing. The Ninjawoman version is a step ahead, but it needs to leap much ahead to consolidate a fan-following.
May 8, 2013
In the story the characters speak so lightheartedly, happy, and there were jokes that actually made me laugh once in a while. The author was also very descriptive in some scenes, but what I really enjoyed is that the author understood when to be descriptive. When the reader would be interested or be of value to the reader for some scene to be descriptive. However, in the beginning it felt a though the book was going on forever, but I am glad that I kept on reading because once I got about a third way through the book it started to pick. Although, the book went a little slow in the beginning, mostly introducing the characters and developing the plot a little so the readers could better understand, there were some scenes in which were unexpected and were very interesting to read. For example when Cindy was ambushed and when the pipe broke at the gym. Things happened so abruptly, and fast making you feel a sense of adrenaline while reading the book. I also really like the fact that Jones was the owner of Lucent lab, in many books the main character or someone the main character are friends with people who simply works there or is the head of a department, but usually never the owner of something like a lab and it really caught my eye and made the book a little more enjoyable for me. Another point on the authors description of the characters was the fact that when I was reading the book it felt as though I was experiencing what the character were going through, as if I was them, this was more so for Cindy than any other character. The way in which Cindy and Jones interacted at first seemed like newlyweds who were loving and carefree in their relationship. Those kinds of relationships were they are always saying endearments like “Honey,” “Sweetie, “Cutie,” or “Love” and so on. At time it felt as though their relationship was surreal, too good to be true. I understand that there are relationships like that out there, but they are less common, nonetheless it was sweet. There were also points in the story in which I was confused as to who point of view it was from. It seemed as though the author was trying to write in omniscient, but was really writing in 3rd person and when he caught himself writing in 3rd person, he would write a comment that seemed as though it was from and omniscient. Comment that felt awkward and didn't need to be there and that’s what made me confused. In addition, the author was also a little repetitive in the beginning. Anyway, what I loved about this book was that the author really took time to describe and bring emphasis the characters, describe who each character is and the special role they play in the book. I especially liked the way the author developed the story in a manner that all connects so harmonically in the ending; for example in the beginning the author portrays Cindy as person who has anger issues and a temper which gives a foreshadow (glimpse) of what is to come later on in the story. One thing I really didn’t like was Cindy’s attitude, it was a downer, she took offense to everything, almost everything, viewed life as glass half empty and it killed the mood at times, it really sucked. Otherwise else I thought the book was fantastic. There where component I love about the book and how the author wrote the book, even though there were some editorial mistakes, it didn’t take away from the book and that is what counts. If you are looking for a book with adventure, and I can’t believe I never mentioned this before, but a heroine who is a real kick who fight her own battles and can stand on her own two feet in a fight and survive, then this is the book for you. Normally I really don’t like Sci – fic, they just seem so unreal and a little boring, and as soon as I realize a book is Sci – fic, I steer clear away from them, hypocritically I loved to read paranormal. Although I gave this book a try, the thing is, is that it has Sci – fic, that is basically the whole book, but the plot is interesting enough that I made an exception, so if you don’t like Sci - fic, give this book a try anyway, you might find you actually enjoy it like me.
April 25, 2013
This was 2-3 stars for me.
The good stuff: it was imaginative and a wild adventure following the Silver Ninja in her rise to be a superhero. Luna has given us a big and bold story that isn't afraid to delve into city-wide disasters. The story starts small, with just a simple woman, and evolves into something fantastic.
The bad stuff:
I never got on with Cindy. A professional gymnast who just so happens to be an ex-cop and seriously good at martial arts. Personally, I thought her being an ex-cop was an unnecessary addition to her history, but it wasn't negative in any way.
But I always thought that martial arts was supposed to improve the mind, as well as body. And don't cops go through character profiling? Yet Cindy swings from whiny little twit, to homicidal killing machine in a heartbeat (the urge to kill is explained later on, but her attitude was far too "woe is me" while killing. I would have more easily believed black-outs, or complete character changes); and uses bulimia as punishment. She screamed weak, and annoying to me.
I think she is the main reason I read the rest of the book (that can be thrilling and exciting) with impatience, and eye-rolling at her next dumb move.
Seriously, I think my favourite example was Michael tells Cindy not to get electrocuted because that's the worst thing that could happen to the suit. Cut to the next scene where Cindy is trying to find a way to gain access to her next target, and what does she choose as her best option - punching a generator...
And because I was so annoyed with the main character, other little things that I would have let slide, started to niggle. For example, as some of the other reviewers have said, the author is excessive in their descriptions. I love metaphors and symbolism as much as the next person, but: "Her entire form was now enveloped like a chocolate banana dipped in metal."
I'm not sure when the last time was that I dipped my chocolate-coated banana in metal. I understand what Luna is trying to say, but it could be put more smoothly.
And there were a couple of inconsistencies that made me stop and go back to check where I'd gone wrong. Like when Cindy had daydreamed/slept-walked the whole day away, yet when her sister asks if she's talked to her husband that day, Cindy tells her that Jonas hasn't been picking up all day. Strange thing to recall on a day that was completely blank.
The good stuff: it was imaginative and a wild adventure following the Silver Ninja in her rise to be a superhero. Luna has given us a big and bold story that isn't afraid to delve into city-wide disasters. The story starts small, with just a simple woman, and evolves into something fantastic.
The bad stuff:
I never got on with Cindy. A professional gymnast who just so happens to be an ex-cop and seriously good at martial arts. Personally, I thought her being an ex-cop was an unnecessary addition to her history, but it wasn't negative in any way.
But I always thought that martial arts was supposed to improve the mind, as well as body. And don't cops go through character profiling? Yet Cindy swings from whiny little twit, to homicidal killing machine in a heartbeat (the urge to kill is explained later on, but her attitude was far too "woe is me" while killing. I would have more easily believed black-outs, or complete character changes); and uses bulimia as punishment. She screamed weak, and annoying to me.
I think she is the main reason I read the rest of the book (that can be thrilling and exciting) with impatience, and eye-rolling at her next dumb move.
Seriously, I think my favourite example was Michael tells Cindy not to get electrocuted because that's the worst thing that could happen to the suit. Cut to the next scene where Cindy is trying to find a way to gain access to her next target, and what does she choose as her best option - punching a generator...
And because I was so annoyed with the main character, other little things that I would have let slide, started to niggle. For example, as some of the other reviewers have said, the author is excessive in their descriptions. I love metaphors and symbolism as much as the next person, but: "Her entire form was now enveloped like a chocolate banana dipped in metal."
I'm not sure when the last time was that I dipped my chocolate-coated banana in metal. I understand what Luna is trying to say, but it could be put more smoothly.
And there were a couple of inconsistencies that made me stop and go back to check where I'd gone wrong. Like when Cindy had daydreamed/slept-walked the whole day away, yet when her sister asks if she's talked to her husband that day, Cindy tells her that Jonas hasn't been picking up all day. Strange thing to recall on a day that was completely blank.
May 9, 2013
3.5 stars
Why? because I think Wilmar should write books for kids! You know, with rainbows and all of that, because that's how it felt while reading the Silver Ninja while it was supposed to be a kind of serious book, objective at some points especially that Cindy was not the one talking in the book, but that the narrator was telling the story from afar. His writing style is waaay too cheerful. Well, it was something that helped me make up to the reading of "The torturer's daughter", so I probably gave a bit more rating than I would have done on normal circumstances.
Okay,I am going to say it! I am going to say what is probably on your mind right now. I didn't like the title. Too cheesy.
The story line IS AMAZING. It somehow reminds me of the iron man. AND I LOVE THE IRON MAN. Especially the hot shot, Robert (I don't know his last name, sue me!)
So this story talks about CINDY! The COURAGEOUS - sarcasm because I hate that kind of cheerful describtion, it sounds like a kids book - woman who uses the suit to fight EVIL. I loved the plot! But one thing, Wilmar. You describe toooo much, it is boring! Or maybe I just nag too much. O'well. But I guess John Green can learn a bit from you.
*Sigh*
Okay, anyway, I liked the book. I want to read book two, but not now (I know it is not published yet, but I am just sayin'). I am saying that because I think I had enough of Silver for now, you know? It is this kind of books that you want to read book two after a year or something. They are not bad books but they just don't get you hooked up enough to read book two immediately.
Anyway, I must admit. Some parts did NOT get me hooked up at all. It was soo boring. Oh, and I ADMIT my guilt when I say I skipped some parts, but not too much, just a teeny tiny bit at the end of the book, if you know what I mean.
Oh, and another thing. I expected some of the parts. Wilmar did NOT surprise me most of the times. He should work on that.
I admit, the end, which was soooo AWESOME! like "Transformers" kind of AWESOME! but I skipped some parts. Really, it was soooooo detailed. Like boring detailed and I was just not that interested. I don't know. I think I am babbling. Anyway, nice book! Keep it up, Wilmar! You have a bright future! Oh and you look so young in your picture, are you single? Oh, joking... *call me* =P
Why? because I think Wilmar should write books for kids! You know, with rainbows and all of that, because that's how it felt while reading the Silver Ninja while it was supposed to be a kind of serious book, objective at some points especially that Cindy was not the one talking in the book, but that the narrator was telling the story from afar. His writing style is waaay too cheerful. Well, it was something that helped me make up to the reading of "The torturer's daughter", so I probably gave a bit more rating than I would have done on normal circumstances.
Okay,I am going to say it! I am going to say what is probably on your mind right now. I didn't like the title. Too cheesy.
The story line IS AMAZING. It somehow reminds me of the iron man. AND I LOVE THE IRON MAN. Especially the hot shot, Robert (I don't know his last name, sue me!)
So this story talks about CINDY! The COURAGEOUS - sarcasm because I hate that kind of cheerful describtion, it sounds like a kids book - woman who uses the suit to fight EVIL. I loved the plot! But one thing, Wilmar. You describe toooo much, it is boring! Or maybe I just nag too much. O'well. But I guess John Green can learn a bit from you.
*Sigh*
Okay, anyway, I liked the book. I want to read book two, but not now (I know it is not published yet, but I am just sayin'). I am saying that because I think I had enough of Silver for now, you know? It is this kind of books that you want to read book two after a year or something. They are not bad books but they just don't get you hooked up enough to read book two immediately.
Anyway, I must admit. Some parts did NOT get me hooked up at all. It was soo boring. Oh, and I ADMIT my guilt when I say I skipped some parts, but not too much, just a teeny tiny bit at the end of the book, if you know what I mean.
Oh, and another thing. I expected some of the parts. Wilmar did NOT surprise me most of the times. He should work on that.
I admit, the end, which was soooo AWESOME! like "Transformers" kind of AWESOME! but I skipped some parts. Really, it was soooooo detailed. Like boring detailed and I was just not that interested. I don't know. I think I am babbling. Anyway, nice book! Keep it up, Wilmar! You have a bright future! Oh and you look so young in your picture, are you single? Oh, joking... *call me* =P
May 5, 2013
I'm not so sure I was a huge fan of the female heroine but it's a fun read. Lots of action and funny dialog banter. I actually would love to see this as a graphic novel as it definitely has that superhero/comic feel to it. Overall, good storyline.
May 4, 2019
Fun to read. Ready for the story to continue
April 24, 2013
NOTICE: I was given a reviewer copy of this book at my request and for no cost. In order to receive this book as I was given it I have pledged to post an “honest review.” END NOTICE
I’m a bit befuddled about how to proceed here, since I just had too many problems with this book to give an overall positive review. And that, in large part, my “thunder,” such as it is, has already been stolen in the review posted by Michael, here. Very solid take on the book, and I think a fair one, if perhaps a bit stronger than I ultimately felt about it.
Well, now for me and my $.02 of input. What did I like about this book? Some of the action scenes were tolerable, possibly even mildly enjoyable. And when I come across that in a book I feel myself able, and with a clear conscience, to give out a two-star rating at the absolute minimum. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t go beyond that with this one.
Why? Well, first let’s take a look at some selected bits of text. Note that I’m using page references to the reviewer copy, a PDF, which ran to only 159 pages. I’d guess if you double the page number referenced you’d come close in the paperback, but I’ll also throw in the chapter number for those who really wish to follow along at home.
"So late!" the young woman cried, as her loyal, worn, cream-colored sneakers tried to distort reality so she could run faster than time itself. [Chapter 1, p. 6]
Remember when you thought Sydney was the capital of Australia? I know that in reality"—Jadie pointed at Cindy with a sarcastic attitude—"you're a moron. [Chapter 1, p. 7]
A rusty water pipe roared out from the blackened cave above and dropped down over Cindy's head like a log going to a sawmill. [Chapter 3, p. 35]
They loaded up their empty chambers with bullets, quivering to rip into Cindy's flesh. [Chapter 4, p.57]
Cindy found herself staring down dozens of rifle barrels, each holding quivering bullets in their blackened chambers. [Chapter 8, p. 129]
Sigh. What to do here? What can I say? Of particular note is that first entry. It is actually the first line of the of first chapter in the novel, leading me initially to wonder if I’d not somehow stumbled into an entry in some sort of strange Bulwer-Lytton Contest. It certainly did nothing to pull me into the book, to make me wish to read more, and so forth. Quite the contrary. Never having written a novel I’d always supposed an author would take particular care with that first sentence. Apparently not.
And beyond that? I’ll keep my pointy sarcastic attitude at my side for fear of putting somebody’s eye out, avoid any chambers, blackened or not, and pass on in silence, though perhaps looking a tad askance at those quivering bullets. And please note that what I’ve posted here involved no particular search. You can find sentences similar to the preceding at any point you’d care open the book.
As to the logic, or lack thereof, at certain places in the book let me post one example. Though I remain unclear as to the importance of this episode to the overall plot, I’ll mark my discussion of it with spoiler tags
Let me just end this now. Could you do worse than to read this book? Yes, I’d think so. I’ve given it the GR “It was okay,” rating, and I mean it. But are there some quite serious problems here? Problems that I found by turns giggle-worthy and annoying? Unfortunately, also, yes.
I’m a bit befuddled about how to proceed here, since I just had too many problems with this book to give an overall positive review. And that, in large part, my “thunder,” such as it is, has already been stolen in the review posted by Michael, here. Very solid take on the book, and I think a fair one, if perhaps a bit stronger than I ultimately felt about it.
Well, now for me and my $.02 of input. What did I like about this book? Some of the action scenes were tolerable, possibly even mildly enjoyable. And when I come across that in a book I feel myself able, and with a clear conscience, to give out a two-star rating at the absolute minimum. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t go beyond that with this one.
Why? Well, first let’s take a look at some selected bits of text. Note that I’m using page references to the reviewer copy, a PDF, which ran to only 159 pages. I’d guess if you double the page number referenced you’d come close in the paperback, but I’ll also throw in the chapter number for those who really wish to follow along at home.
"So late!" the young woman cried, as her loyal, worn, cream-colored sneakers tried to distort reality so she could run faster than time itself. [Chapter 1, p. 6]
Remember when you thought Sydney was the capital of Australia? I know that in reality"—Jadie pointed at Cindy with a sarcastic attitude—"you're a moron. [Chapter 1, p. 7]
A rusty water pipe roared out from the blackened cave above and dropped down over Cindy's head like a log going to a sawmill. [Chapter 3, p. 35]
They loaded up their empty chambers with bullets, quivering to rip into Cindy's flesh. [Chapter 4, p.57]
Cindy found herself staring down dozens of rifle barrels, each holding quivering bullets in their blackened chambers. [Chapter 8, p. 129]
Sigh. What to do here? What can I say? Of particular note is that first entry. It is actually the first line of the of first chapter in the novel, leading me initially to wonder if I’d not somehow stumbled into an entry in some sort of strange Bulwer-Lytton Contest. It certainly did nothing to pull me into the book, to make me wish to read more, and so forth. Quite the contrary. Never having written a novel I’d always supposed an author would take particular care with that first sentence. Apparently not.
And beyond that? I’ll keep my pointy sarcastic attitude at my side for fear of putting somebody’s eye out, avoid any chambers, blackened or not, and pass on in silence, though perhaps looking a tad askance at those quivering bullets. And please note that what I’ve posted here involved no particular search. You can find sentences similar to the preceding at any point you’d care open the book.
As to the logic, or lack thereof, at certain places in the book let me post one example. Though I remain unclear as to the importance of this episode to the overall plot, I’ll mark my discussion of it with spoiler tags
Let me just end this now. Could you do worse than to read this book? Yes, I’d think so. I’ve given it the GR “It was okay,” rating, and I mean it. But are there some quite serious problems here? Problems that I found by turns giggle-worthy and annoying? Unfortunately, also, yes.
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May 24, 2013I gave up reading this book part way through because I couldn’t handle the main character anymore. Cindy is not a likable character. She is obsessed with her physical strength. Her relationship with her husband and sister are both unhealthy: she hits her husband, and has a vicious rivalry with her sister. Knowing that the story was supposed to be about Cindy’s fight to avoid becoming a villain, I found her to be a villain without anything happening to her.
I found the dialogue in the story to be unrealistic. Several times I found myself thinking that people won’t talk like that, or about that topic in that way. It was distracting.
Overall, I wanted to like the story, but couldn’t finish it. Maybe with a different main character that I could empathize with then I may have enjoyed it, but with Cindy, I just couldn’t.
I found the dialogue in the story to be unrealistic. Several times I found myself thinking that people won’t talk like that, or about that topic in that way. It was distracting.
Overall, I wanted to like the story, but couldn’t finish it. Maybe with a different main character that I could empathize with then I may have enjoyed it, but with Cindy, I just couldn’t.
January 2, 2014
Wilmar Luna has a satisfying tale of a super heroine. Cindy Ames was once a cop, and now runs a gymnastic school with her sister. Her husband Jonas has a top secret lab losing funding, but they have a prototype of a nano-tech super suit, which somehow manages to attach itself to Cindy. Think of an Iron man suit that can melt off her body, creating clothes as it does. She may nto be able to fly but she can swing like spiderman. The villain convinces The Silver Ninja (trade from Createspace Independent Publishing Platform) to assassinate his enemies, but when she finally refuses one victim, attacks her with an improved version of her suit. Her husband has disappeared, working for a top secret firm. The tale has logic holes and a cardboard villain, but it is still fun and very satisfying to anyone raised on comic books Review Published by the Philadelphia Weekly Press
Want to read
June 7, 2013O_o
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