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Cretaceous Clay #1
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf
“An epidemic of missing dwarves plagued Nodlon. Every dwarf feared for his life, and everyone else thought the dwarves ran away to escape the hopelessness of living life under a contract. But the Dragon Lord and his greatest servant, Nimrod had crossed time and space to invade our world. Nimrod possessed a hapless dwarf snared by temptation and he became the Black Dwarf. The wicked warlock kidnapped dwarves, mesmerized them, and turned them into an army of zombies to serve the Dragon’s will.”
“Jack, who are you talking to?”
“Shush, Shotgun, I’m explaining our adventure to the Gentle Readers.”
“To stem the tide of runaway dwarves, the Princess of Nodlon resolved to free the dwarves and recruited Cretaceous Jack Clay, celebrity elf and magician extraordinaire, to help her raise support. But before anyone could cry, ‘Biots are people too,’ Nodlon Yard discovered the constellation of Capricorn on the vid screen of a missing dwarf maiden drawn in blood. Inspector Lestrayed called upon his friend, Jack Clay, an amateur sleuth and expert on the paranormal to help solve the mystery. Freedom had to wait while Jack Clay hunted a pair of foes older than history. So began the strange and quirky odyssey of Clay, Jack Clay.”
“Laying it on a bit thick aren’t you? You’re not the only who saved Nodlon! Tell them about me.”
“Shush! You’re the comic relief, Shotgun, in case things get too serious,” huffed Jack. “And so Jack and Shotgun began their heroic adventure to defeat the Black Dwarf.”
“Oh, brother,” moaned Shotgun. “You need a copywriter, Jack, someone skilled enough to condense seven volumes of historical fiction onto a bumper sticker.”
“Always a critic, you are. Yes, you can hack a network, kung fu a bad guy, and bake a soufflé all at once, but can you let me think?”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Together, Jack and his intrepid sidekick save Nodlon from the Black Dwarf. Cretaceous Clay is a light romp during the days before the Gap when the legendary hero Jack Clay, that’s me, saved Nodlon.”
“Like they forgot,” muttered Shotgun.
“Now, I’m totally lost. I’ll need an editor,” Jack banged his head on the recorder. “Cretaceous Clay is a nostalgic, science-fiction story with a warm homage to classic Sci-Fi, fantasy, and television.”
“What’s television?”
“Vid, Shotgun, it’s what they had before vid. It’s an early technology from the dawn of the Age of Aquarius.”
“I know boss, but the Gentle Readers might not know.”
“Of course the Gentle Readers know. They live with televisions. Remember, our history is their future.”
“So tell them what they’re in for if they read the book. Tell them about Jazz, and Goldie, Faith and Hope.”
“Shotgun, our loved ones only have bit parts.” Jack sighed, “Our story is an action adventure with affectionate characters who never let you down, unrequited romance, kind hearts, flying cars, and biots.”
“What’s a biot?”
“We’re biots.”
“Speak for yourself,” Shotgun grumbled. “You’re only half-biot, but I’m all biot.”
“For a full explanation, they’ll have to go to the Professor’s website and look for the entry, ‘Concerning Biots,’”
“Great, it sounds sweet, delightful, and easy-going. It’s too perfect. The book police will demand a warning, ‘May cause a sugar rush.’”
“Shotgun! It’s supposed to be suitable for kids of all ages.”
“Why not add, ‘And so the magician boldly fights a foe no magician has fought before.’”
“Trite.”
“Not like you’re doing any better. All right, what about, ‘Biots are people too.’”
“Maybe that’ll work. It has a ring to it.”
“Great, send it to the Professor, and let’s do lunch.”
“Jack, who are you talking to?”
“Shush, Shotgun, I’m explaining our adventure to the Gentle Readers.”
“To stem the tide of runaway dwarves, the Princess of Nodlon resolved to free the dwarves and recruited Cretaceous Jack Clay, celebrity elf and magician extraordinaire, to help her raise support. But before anyone could cry, ‘Biots are people too,’ Nodlon Yard discovered the constellation of Capricorn on the vid screen of a missing dwarf maiden drawn in blood. Inspector Lestrayed called upon his friend, Jack Clay, an amateur sleuth and expert on the paranormal to help solve the mystery. Freedom had to wait while Jack Clay hunted a pair of foes older than history. So began the strange and quirky odyssey of Clay, Jack Clay.”
“Laying it on a bit thick aren’t you? You’re not the only who saved Nodlon! Tell them about me.”
“Shush! You’re the comic relief, Shotgun, in case things get too serious,” huffed Jack. “And so Jack and Shotgun began their heroic adventure to defeat the Black Dwarf.”
“Oh, brother,” moaned Shotgun. “You need a copywriter, Jack, someone skilled enough to condense seven volumes of historical fiction onto a bumper sticker.”
“Always a critic, you are. Yes, you can hack a network, kung fu a bad guy, and bake a soufflé all at once, but can you let me think?”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Together, Jack and his intrepid sidekick save Nodlon from the Black Dwarf. Cretaceous Clay is a light romp during the days before the Gap when the legendary hero Jack Clay, that’s me, saved Nodlon.”
“Like they forgot,” muttered Shotgun.
“Now, I’m totally lost. I’ll need an editor,” Jack banged his head on the recorder. “Cretaceous Clay is a nostalgic, science-fiction story with a warm homage to classic Sci-Fi, fantasy, and television.”
“What’s television?”
“Vid, Shotgun, it’s what they had before vid. It’s an early technology from the dawn of the Age of Aquarius.”
“I know boss, but the Gentle Readers might not know.”
“Of course the Gentle Readers know. They live with televisions. Remember, our history is their future.”
“So tell them what they’re in for if they read the book. Tell them about Jazz, and Goldie, Faith and Hope.”
“Shotgun, our loved ones only have bit parts.” Jack sighed, “Our story is an action adventure with affectionate characters who never let you down, unrequited romance, kind hearts, flying cars, and biots.”
“What’s a biot?”
“We’re biots.”
“Speak for yourself,” Shotgun grumbled. “You’re only half-biot, but I’m all biot.”
“For a full explanation, they’ll have to go to the Professor’s website and look for the entry, ‘Concerning Biots,’”
“Great, it sounds sweet, delightful, and easy-going. It’s too perfect. The book police will demand a warning, ‘May cause a sugar rush.’”
“Shotgun! It’s supposed to be suitable for kids of all ages.”
“Why not add, ‘And so the magician boldly fights a foe no magician has fought before.’”
“Trite.”
“Not like you’re doing any better. All right, what about, ‘Biots are people too.’”
“Maybe that’ll work. It has a ring to it.”
“Great, send it to the Professor, and let’s do lunch.”
- GenresFantasy
290 pages, ebook
First published February 11, 2012
5 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 20, 2013
My ratings is only for the concept. It has been a tendency to provide scientific reasons for magic, it was really interesting to see magic and technology working along side by side. Synthetic people, wanting to be considered as normal people having dreams, the murder mystery made me stick to the book and made me read it full. A strong lead character having his own history and on the way to discovering his capabilities were strong parts of the story. But the writing disappointed me as a reader. Dwarves we all know are short people but elves and goblins are not very obvious to imagine. The author should have been a little more descriptive. It becomes easier to connect with the readers and they can imagine what the author imagined while writing. Not a single character was described and the only thing i got to know about elves and goblins was that they were tall people.
And then it became confusing at some places as pronouns were used at starting of paragraphs. In a paragraph 'he' is used for 'Jack' and then in the next paragraph 'he' is used for 'Inspector' without a mention of him. These are small things which really need editing. Otherwise it could have been a 4 starer book.
And then it became confusing at some places as pronouns were used at starting of paragraphs. In a paragraph 'he' is used for 'Jack' and then in the next paragraph 'he' is used for 'Inspector' without a mention of him. These are small things which really need editing. Otherwise it could have been a 4 starer book.
April 5, 2013
Set in a futuristic world of flying cars, scanners, and lightning guns, Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf takes what we expect from the fantasy genre and reforms it into something new and exciting. The story picks up with a dwarf, Evan Labe, deciding to heed the advice of an infomercial and visit a gene therapy clinic called New Gem. Once there, the staff shows him before and after pictures of their procedure. In each one the individual was changed from a decent looking person into a near perfect specimen. Deciding on the treatment, he follows the nurse into a back room.
The story then introduces the main character, Cretaceous Clay, an elf and biot that’s made his fortune as an entertainer and magician. The only catch is his magic is real. We’re also introduced to the world of the biots. Comprised of mostly dwarves, the biots are genetically engineered workers that rarely, if ever, enjoy the same freedom as the other races. Most never have true parents, which is another thing that sets Clay apart as he has fond memories of his mother.
In time, a police inspector named Gumshoe asks Clay to help him with a case involving several missing dwarves. Clay agrees and the various storylines begin to come together.
Now, I have to admit I had a difficult time getting into the story as it presented a vastly different word than I was used to, but once I was in I couldn’t stop reading. Until reading this book, fantasy worlds were either medieval time periods or vastly superior technological planets dominated by one, maybe two peoples. In Cretaceous Clay, all the races live and work together on earth. To me, it was such a unique idea that I fell in love with it. There’s something awesome about a goblin janitor or nurse, a human police detective, an elf magician, and molemen policemen.
I may be in error with this, but I imagined Clay being a sort of Sherlock Holmes. While he’s not as brilliant as the famous detective, Clay does serve as a treasure trove of knowledge and insight into other possible scenarios for the police. It also helps that the story takes place in Great Britain.
All in all, I was very happy to have found this book and look forward to the continuing series.
The story then introduces the main character, Cretaceous Clay, an elf and biot that’s made his fortune as an entertainer and magician. The only catch is his magic is real. We’re also introduced to the world of the biots. Comprised of mostly dwarves, the biots are genetically engineered workers that rarely, if ever, enjoy the same freedom as the other races. Most never have true parents, which is another thing that sets Clay apart as he has fond memories of his mother.
In time, a police inspector named Gumshoe asks Clay to help him with a case involving several missing dwarves. Clay agrees and the various storylines begin to come together.
Now, I have to admit I had a difficult time getting into the story as it presented a vastly different word than I was used to, but once I was in I couldn’t stop reading. Until reading this book, fantasy worlds were either medieval time periods or vastly superior technological planets dominated by one, maybe two peoples. In Cretaceous Clay, all the races live and work together on earth. To me, it was such a unique idea that I fell in love with it. There’s something awesome about a goblin janitor or nurse, a human police detective, an elf magician, and molemen policemen.
I may be in error with this, but I imagined Clay being a sort of Sherlock Holmes. While he’s not as brilliant as the famous detective, Clay does serve as a treasure trove of knowledge and insight into other possible scenarios for the police. It also helps that the story takes place in Great Britain.
All in all, I was very happy to have found this book and look forward to the continuing series.
September 27, 2013
The author sent me this e-book version (free) in exchange for an honest review.
My husband Tony read this and the following is his review in his own words.
I must admit that this book confused me somewhat at first. The scenes and characters changed with each chapter! Then, slowly, as I progressed through the pages, the parts of the puzzle came together like a Tarantino movie and presented me with an excellent, well written story! Our hero,(who strongly reminded me of Jonathon Creek with Sherlock Holmes influences ),along with his trusty sidekick, team up with a "hard nosed" and "world savvy" cop,(think Columbo, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe)on a mysterious, thrilling and deadly case, with the background of confusion, chaos and uncertainty of impending war! Add to this the fact that the characters are Elves, Dwarves, Goblins and other assorted mythical, magical beings and you've got a great story! Likeable characters (the goodies anyway),brilliantly written! and I loved it! The E-book version I read had a few "typos" But that didn't detract from a thoroughly enjoyable read! I look forward eagerly for the rest of the saga!
My husband Tony read this and the following is his review in his own words.
I must admit that this book confused me somewhat at first. The scenes and characters changed with each chapter! Then, slowly, as I progressed through the pages, the parts of the puzzle came together like a Tarantino movie and presented me with an excellent, well written story! Our hero,(who strongly reminded me of Jonathon Creek with Sherlock Holmes influences ),along with his trusty sidekick, team up with a "hard nosed" and "world savvy" cop,(think Columbo, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe)on a mysterious, thrilling and deadly case, with the background of confusion, chaos and uncertainty of impending war! Add to this the fact that the characters are Elves, Dwarves, Goblins and other assorted mythical, magical beings and you've got a great story! Likeable characters (the goodies anyway),brilliantly written! and I loved it! The E-book version I read had a few "typos" But that didn't detract from a thoroughly enjoyable read! I look forward eagerly for the rest of the saga!
February 22, 2013
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf is a thrilling ride through a fanciful world. A wonderful debut novel by a future George RR Martin or Amanda Hocking. The pacing is fast and well done, with memorable characters that stick in the readers memory even after setting the book down. The Sci-Fi / Fantasy setting is more then just "20 minutes into the future" but not so far that I as a reader lose all sense of comprehension of Nodlon society.
This Book is truly Sci-Fi / Fantasy with a mixture of real supernatural magic, advanced technology, and synthetic bio-engineered creatures that means almost anything you can dream can be made real by their culture.
The ending is a fantastic set piece that I don't want to spoil but involves heavy machinery and lots of magic getting thrown around. In short read this book, Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf.
This Book is truly Sci-Fi / Fantasy with a mixture of real supernatural magic, advanced technology, and synthetic bio-engineered creatures that means almost anything you can dream can be made real by their culture.
The ending is a fantastic set piece that I don't want to spoil but involves heavy machinery and lots of magic getting thrown around. In short read this book, Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf.
August 20, 2013
Typically this particular genre would not be a first pick but I found this book to be very well written. For science fiction, D.A. Knight got the job done. I love the characters especially Jack and Gunshot, the hero and his sidekick. The action and suspense in the last few chapters, admittedly, are a blur to me. But one thing for sure, there's more to Jack's past than what has been revealed. I wonder what is his real connection to the Black Dwarf. Poor Labe never had a chance.
September 16, 2013
First giveaway I ever won, and, if the saying of starting with a blast is true, then this series is bound to become a hit!
Cretaceous Clay & The Black Dwarf is the tale of Jack Clay, a half-elf magician, as he strives to solve the mystery of the missing dwarves with Shotgun, his trusted butler, and Inspector Gumshoe. It's also the tale of the Black Dwarf, Nimrod, faithful servant of the Dragon Lord, who has come to Earth to... well, wreak havoc would be the appropriate term, I guess. Last, but not least, it's the tale of poor Evan Labe, a nerdy dwarf, a victim in this whole mess, someone that we couldn't count out, though. After all, Biots are people, too!
Starting with this book's hilarious and lively blurb, this story grabs you by the collar - so to speak - and doesn't let you go until you've reached its equally hilarious and unique trailer for the next "episode". Its funny, witty dialogues were enough comic relief in all the strange and sometimes scary crime scenes Jack, Shotgun and Gumshoe found themselves in. The names of most characters were quirky and made me crack a smile or two at times, too - seriously, where else would you find a constable named Wiggles?! Or a roc named Sherry? Not to mention Jack and Jazz are honestly one of the cutest fictional couples I have seen this month!
But this story isn't all about its quirkiness and humor. And if by now you're thinking it's a light read, you're seriously mistaken!
It has more mystery and intrigue than a common reader would care to admit. This is a book that makes you think. It makes you sit your pretty little bum down and read carefully. There are details and clues and hints in so many places, if only you are more observant - and believe me, the first time around, until you reach a certain point, you're not. Then, you go back and restart, only to realize that Mr. Knight had actually given you pointers, but you were so hooked with what was happening at the moment, that you didn't bother to give it a second thought at the time. If there is one thing a story with a mystery in it should have, it's this.
Not only that, but there are some very serious issues in Nodlon's society that resemble our own, real-life societal problems. And it all has to do with Biots. It's no wonder that the book's main saying was that they are people, too. Even though they're superior to humans, they're treated with less respect than they deserve. Sounds familiar? How many times have we witnessed this in our lives? The story also gives a nice view on how nerds are shunned, never easily finding love. And in order for most of them to do so, they must change their image, and who they really are, following certain standards - similar to how young people mimic society's idols to blend in.
So, it's realistic on top of entertaining!
The POVs were all detailed and smoothly changed to suit the pace of each character that was at the moment depicted. The main hero, Jack, is not just your typical hero. Without being annoyingly modest, he admitted his powerful and weak points. He knew his limits and didn't think he had the solution to everything. A very likeable character indeed - not to mention, a charming fellow.
I certainly enjoyed this one, and was more than glad to have stumbled upon its giveaway. I cried, and laughed, and even freaked out, and that made the book a winner, if I ever saw one.
Bravo, Mr. Knight!
***I was given an ARC from a Rafflecopter Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Cretaceous Clay & The Black Dwarf is the tale of Jack Clay, a half-elf magician, as he strives to solve the mystery of the missing dwarves with Shotgun, his trusted butler, and Inspector Gumshoe. It's also the tale of the Black Dwarf, Nimrod, faithful servant of the Dragon Lord, who has come to Earth to... well, wreak havoc would be the appropriate term, I guess. Last, but not least, it's the tale of poor Evan Labe, a nerdy dwarf, a victim in this whole mess, someone that we couldn't count out, though. After all, Biots are people, too!
Starting with this book's hilarious and lively blurb, this story grabs you by the collar - so to speak - and doesn't let you go until you've reached its equally hilarious and unique trailer for the next "episode". Its funny, witty dialogues were enough comic relief in all the strange and sometimes scary crime scenes Jack, Shotgun and Gumshoe found themselves in. The names of most characters were quirky and made me crack a smile or two at times, too - seriously, where else would you find a constable named Wiggles?! Or a roc named Sherry? Not to mention Jack and Jazz are honestly one of the cutest fictional couples I have seen this month!
But this story isn't all about its quirkiness and humor. And if by now you're thinking it's a light read, you're seriously mistaken!
It has more mystery and intrigue than a common reader would care to admit. This is a book that makes you think. It makes you sit your pretty little bum down and read carefully. There are details and clues and hints in so many places, if only you are more observant - and believe me, the first time around, until you reach a certain point, you're not. Then, you go back and restart, only to realize that Mr. Knight had actually given you pointers, but you were so hooked with what was happening at the moment, that you didn't bother to give it a second thought at the time. If there is one thing a story with a mystery in it should have, it's this.
Not only that, but there are some very serious issues in Nodlon's society that resemble our own, real-life societal problems. And it all has to do with Biots. It's no wonder that the book's main saying was that they are people, too. Even though they're superior to humans, they're treated with less respect than they deserve. Sounds familiar? How many times have we witnessed this in our lives? The story also gives a nice view on how nerds are shunned, never easily finding love. And in order for most of them to do so, they must change their image, and who they really are, following certain standards - similar to how young people mimic society's idols to blend in.
So, it's realistic on top of entertaining!
The POVs were all detailed and smoothly changed to suit the pace of each character that was at the moment depicted. The main hero, Jack, is not just your typical hero. Without being annoyingly modest, he admitted his powerful and weak points. He knew his limits and didn't think he had the solution to everything. A very likeable character indeed - not to mention, a charming fellow.
I certainly enjoyed this one, and was more than glad to have stumbled upon its giveaway. I cried, and laughed, and even freaked out, and that made the book a winner, if I ever saw one.
Bravo, Mr. Knight!
***I was given an ARC from a Rafflecopter Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
October 11, 2013
I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.
Cretaceous (Jack) Clay and Shotgun, his dwarf servant and expert computer hacker, agree to be consultants to Nodlon Yard's Inspector (Gumshoe) Lestrayed when dwarves go missing. The only clue they have to go on is the constellation of Capricorn left in blood at the crime scenes. But this isn't your typical fantasy, it is set in the far future where the dwarves, elves, goblins are all synthetic creatures called biots. There are flying cars, agents of Mars trying to start a war, and spaceships. Jack is the only real magician, or at least that anyone knows about. With mounting numbers of dwarves going missing, the police need his and Shotgun's help to try and unravel the mystery that has all the earmarks of magic.
The author has thoroughly mixed fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery into an epic tale of good vs evil. He has an amazingly detailed world with well-developed characters. The author has planned for there to be 7 books in the series. He has also amazingly said he plans to rewrite the series after completing it and getting feedback from the readers, so you can consider this a beta version of the story. He has received the Catholic Writer's Guild's seal of approval. So you know it is approriate for all readers. It is nice to see characters who don't jump into bed with each other at every chance they get.
Being the first installment of a series, there is a lot going on in this volume. There is naturally the introduction of the main characters and their first encounter. But we also get the beginnings of other threads that I am sure will grow in later volumes. The question of the rights of the biots should prove to be a major plot point and could cause major changes in the interactions of characters. Also the mystery of Noddie, the perhaps mythical sea dragon that lives in the depths of the great river running through Moab has its seeds sown here. Finally there is a war with Mars threatening to breakout at any time.
The only problem I had with the book was that it didn't really read like a first book in a series. It felt more like a second or even third book in a series. By this I mean, there isn't a lot of background given explaining the differences in our present day world and the setting of the future Nodlon. There is mention that they are in the 4th century so we know there is at least 400 years of various wars that have left large sections of the earth as savage wilderness.But I wasn't ever sure how Nodlon really fit into this future Earth. Is it the major kingdom on Earth? How many kingdoms are there? Why is Mars attacking Nodlon specifically and not the whole planet? We also know mankind has spread to other planets and other star systems even. Synthetic people(biots) are common with red dwarves, black dwarves, molemen, elves, sprites, goblins, satyrs, and others. Unfortunately I could not tell you the difference between a red dwarf and a black dwarf.(I think it has to do with the jobs they were designed for and the color of the microchip in their forehead.) From the descriptions, I didn't think of biots as synthetic so much as genetically modified humans. I was really confused when the naturally conceived offspring of the biots were also considered synthetic. Some of these things will be addressed as the series continues I am guessing. More history and explanations started appearing in the last third of this volume.One great example was the origin of the molemen and how they differ from regular dwarves.
Overall I would have to say this a fine first book and the start of an ambitious new series. I think it will only get better and better as it progresses
Cretaceous (Jack) Clay and Shotgun, his dwarf servant and expert computer hacker, agree to be consultants to Nodlon Yard's Inspector (Gumshoe) Lestrayed when dwarves go missing. The only clue they have to go on is the constellation of Capricorn left in blood at the crime scenes. But this isn't your typical fantasy, it is set in the far future where the dwarves, elves, goblins are all synthetic creatures called biots. There are flying cars, agents of Mars trying to start a war, and spaceships. Jack is the only real magician, or at least that anyone knows about. With mounting numbers of dwarves going missing, the police need his and Shotgun's help to try and unravel the mystery that has all the earmarks of magic.
The author has thoroughly mixed fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery into an epic tale of good vs evil. He has an amazingly detailed world with well-developed characters. The author has planned for there to be 7 books in the series. He has also amazingly said he plans to rewrite the series after completing it and getting feedback from the readers, so you can consider this a beta version of the story. He has received the Catholic Writer's Guild's seal of approval. So you know it is approriate for all readers. It is nice to see characters who don't jump into bed with each other at every chance they get.
Being the first installment of a series, there is a lot going on in this volume. There is naturally the introduction of the main characters and their first encounter. But we also get the beginnings of other threads that I am sure will grow in later volumes. The question of the rights of the biots should prove to be a major plot point and could cause major changes in the interactions of characters. Also the mystery of Noddie, the perhaps mythical sea dragon that lives in the depths of the great river running through Moab has its seeds sown here. Finally there is a war with Mars threatening to breakout at any time.
The only problem I had with the book was that it didn't really read like a first book in a series. It felt more like a second or even third book in a series. By this I mean, there isn't a lot of background given explaining the differences in our present day world and the setting of the future Nodlon. There is mention that they are in the 4th century so we know there is at least 400 years of various wars that have left large sections of the earth as savage wilderness.But I wasn't ever sure how Nodlon really fit into this future Earth. Is it the major kingdom on Earth? How many kingdoms are there? Why is Mars attacking Nodlon specifically and not the whole planet? We also know mankind has spread to other planets and other star systems even. Synthetic people(biots) are common with red dwarves, black dwarves, molemen, elves, sprites, goblins, satyrs, and others. Unfortunately I could not tell you the difference between a red dwarf and a black dwarf.(I think it has to do with the jobs they were designed for and the color of the microchip in their forehead.) From the descriptions, I didn't think of biots as synthetic so much as genetically modified humans. I was really confused when the naturally conceived offspring of the biots were also considered synthetic. Some of these things will be addressed as the series continues I am guessing. More history and explanations started appearing in the last third of this volume.One great example was the origin of the molemen and how they differ from regular dwarves.
Overall I would have to say this a fine first book and the start of an ambitious new series. I think it will only get better and better as it progresses
September 16, 2013
"Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf" is a science fiction-fantasy thriller with an added dose of murder, mystery and mayhem. The story spotlights the city of Nodlon in New Atlantis where dwarves are missing, a royal handmaiden's body lies floating in Blueberry Lake,a war with Mars is imminent and an evil Dragon Lord and a malicious warlock have crossed time and space to cause death and havoc on earth.
As the story opens Cretaceous (Jack) Clay,a magician and entertainer,has been asked by the Princess of Nodlon to use his influence to help emancipate the biots (synthetic biological androids),workers with no citizenship rights. Before Jack can act on her request, he and his butler Shotgun are enlisted by Inspector (Gumshoe) Lestrayed to help solve the mystery of several missing dwarfs and two baffling murders. As the Zodiac case heats up Jack, using his amateur sleuthing skills and expertise in the paranormal,and his colleagues discover a link to a gene therapy clinic where dwarfs go to enhance their physical attractiveness. This is the start of a fast-paced, action-packed murder mystery that will take Jack, Gumshoe and Shotgun into a world of dark magic with its pentagrams and a Capricorn sign that marks the bloody murders.
The characters in this story are as colourful and dynamic as they are complex. Cretaceous (Jack) Clay, an elf thinks of himself as a shy, introverted half-breed. This popular entertainer and showman is so much more; highly intelligent, brave, generous, warm-hearted with the observation skills of a Sherlock Holmes. Jack's Dr. Watson is the black dwarf Shotgun who's trusting and loyal; a geeky biot with brilliant technical skills. Gumshoe Lestrayed is the older, overweight senior homicidal detective; a smart, courageous and determined policeman. Add to these three the innocent, virtuous and nerdy dwarf Evan Labe, Jack's shrewd, affectionate and hardworking fiancée Jasmine as well as Shotgun's protective and loving wife Goldie. Even their antagonists are notable; the diabolical and fiendish Dragon Lord, the cruel, pitiless Black Dwarf Nimrod, and the sinister Dr. Balaam.
At first the story seems a little convoluted, but as it progresses and the pieces of the plot fall into place, I found it fascinating, a page turner right to the cliff-hanger at the end. This is an imaginative work filled with names and places gleaned from mythological and biblical sources, but used to transport the reader to a unique place out of time and space. I can't recommend this book enough to those who like a great science fiction-fantasy with a healthy dose of mystery, crime and the paranormal mixed in. I can't wait to read the next in D.A. Knight's magical series.
As the story opens Cretaceous (Jack) Clay,a magician and entertainer,has been asked by the Princess of Nodlon to use his influence to help emancipate the biots (synthetic biological androids),workers with no citizenship rights. Before Jack can act on her request, he and his butler Shotgun are enlisted by Inspector (Gumshoe) Lestrayed to help solve the mystery of several missing dwarfs and two baffling murders. As the Zodiac case heats up Jack, using his amateur sleuthing skills and expertise in the paranormal,and his colleagues discover a link to a gene therapy clinic where dwarfs go to enhance their physical attractiveness. This is the start of a fast-paced, action-packed murder mystery that will take Jack, Gumshoe and Shotgun into a world of dark magic with its pentagrams and a Capricorn sign that marks the bloody murders.
The characters in this story are as colourful and dynamic as they are complex. Cretaceous (Jack) Clay, an elf thinks of himself as a shy, introverted half-breed. This popular entertainer and showman is so much more; highly intelligent, brave, generous, warm-hearted with the observation skills of a Sherlock Holmes. Jack's Dr. Watson is the black dwarf Shotgun who's trusting and loyal; a geeky biot with brilliant technical skills. Gumshoe Lestrayed is the older, overweight senior homicidal detective; a smart, courageous and determined policeman. Add to these three the innocent, virtuous and nerdy dwarf Evan Labe, Jack's shrewd, affectionate and hardworking fiancée Jasmine as well as Shotgun's protective and loving wife Goldie. Even their antagonists are notable; the diabolical and fiendish Dragon Lord, the cruel, pitiless Black Dwarf Nimrod, and the sinister Dr. Balaam.
At first the story seems a little convoluted, but as it progresses and the pieces of the plot fall into place, I found it fascinating, a page turner right to the cliff-hanger at the end. This is an imaginative work filled with names and places gleaned from mythological and biblical sources, but used to transport the reader to a unique place out of time and space. I can't recommend this book enough to those who like a great science fiction-fantasy with a healthy dose of mystery, crime and the paranormal mixed in. I can't wait to read the next in D.A. Knight's magical series.
October 12, 2013
First I will apologize to the author for the delay in putting up this review. I won this book in the Firstreads giveaway and received this book a couple of months ago.
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf is set in a world where humans, elves, dwarves, goblins and many other creatures coexist and seem to have populated all the planets in the solar system. The technology in Mr Knight’s world is naturally very advanced with flying cars, lightning guns, and synthetic creatures known are biots.
Reviewers of fantasy novels often tend to criticize the writers for info-dumps. Mr Knight seems to have taken them too seriously. There is very little infodump in this book and kudos to Mr Knight for that. The downside of this, however, is that the amount of information I got falls a little short of what I needed to care about the issues in the book. I am talking about the biots and the campaign for their freedom. I would have cared more about it if I didn’t have so many questions about biots such as are all dwarves biots? Or are only Dwarves biots? Why are biots needed? What exactly is chipping and how does it work? The author should have explained these things, infodumps be damned.
Another issue which could be related to infodumps is that the author rarely describes the characters. So I had to use my own imagination to picture the characters. It was also difficult to keep track of who is an elf and who is a goblin and so on. I got to know that Gumshoe is a human after finishing three-fourths of the book!!
What I liked the most about this book was the dialogues. The banter between Jack Clay, Shotgun, Gumshoe and Jasmine was lively and funny at times. If not for the excellent banter, I wouldn’t have finished the book.
I read that Mr Knight is going to rewrite all the books in this series. In that case, I suggest he write the book targeting a younger audience. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more when I was 14.
Final Verdict: 2.5 stars which I will round off to a 3. If I was 14, I would have given a 4.
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf is set in a world where humans, elves, dwarves, goblins and many other creatures coexist and seem to have populated all the planets in the solar system. The technology in Mr Knight’s world is naturally very advanced with flying cars, lightning guns, and synthetic creatures known are biots.
Reviewers of fantasy novels often tend to criticize the writers for info-dumps. Mr Knight seems to have taken them too seriously. There is very little infodump in this book and kudos to Mr Knight for that. The downside of this, however, is that the amount of information I got falls a little short of what I needed to care about the issues in the book. I am talking about the biots and the campaign for their freedom. I would have cared more about it if I didn’t have so many questions about biots such as are all dwarves biots? Or are only Dwarves biots? Why are biots needed? What exactly is chipping and how does it work? The author should have explained these things, infodumps be damned.
Another issue which could be related to infodumps is that the author rarely describes the characters. So I had to use my own imagination to picture the characters. It was also difficult to keep track of who is an elf and who is a goblin and so on. I got to know that Gumshoe is a human after finishing three-fourths of the book!!
What I liked the most about this book was the dialogues. The banter between Jack Clay, Shotgun, Gumshoe and Jasmine was lively and funny at times. If not for the excellent banter, I wouldn’t have finished the book.
I read that Mr Knight is going to rewrite all the books in this series. In that case, I suggest he write the book targeting a younger audience. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more when I was 14.
Final Verdict: 2.5 stars which I will round off to a 3. If I was 14, I would have given a 4.
October 15, 2013
Magic, murder, and mystery. Add some elves, dwarfs, gnomes, biots, and flying cars. I liked this book! The storyline was interesting and once I got passed the first chapter or two I found it to be an easy read. I loved the play on words and names (Inspector Lestrayed=Inspector Lestrade), Nodlon Yard (Scotland Yard, or an anagram of London) Octagon=Pentagon, and the biblical references Babel Tower and Moab. A cop in a trench coat and fedora nicknamed Gumshoe and a side kick named Shotgun. Love it. The hero is likable without being completely perfect or completely flawed.I also liked the society standards paralleling our own human standards. I would have given a 5 star rating but I don't like cliffhangers. I know there is a sequel where everything will fall into place,but I would have liked more closure.
September 11, 2013
I'm a bit confused about the story at first, there's many words introduced on the first few chapters of the story that left me re-reading it again. But as the story progress, I admit it was an interesting book. Adventurous! and magical with biots, Nodlon, Thornmaker(interesting word) and many more. This book has interesting words and storyline. It was unique and not boring. Mr.Knight has a wide and wild imagination. A well-written.
September 15, 2013
I really enjoyed the book!
Even though, this is not the genre I usually prefer, I really enjoyed the book - it was a fun adventure.
It was exciting to read about a fantasy world, where all races have found a way to live and work together.
The author has a very vivid imagination and I would definitely read another one of his books.
Even though, this is not the genre I usually prefer, I really enjoyed the book - it was a fun adventure.
It was exciting to read about a fantasy world, where all races have found a way to live and work together.
The author has a very vivid imagination and I would definitely read another one of his books.
June 16, 2015
A fun read.
The author has a wonderful imagination and I look forward to reading the second book, Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring.
The author has a wonderful imagination and I look forward to reading the second book, Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring.
November 2, 2018
I received this book for free from Goodreads Giveaways. A very enjoyable book about a magician, his butler and a police officer trying to solve the disappearance and murder of dwarves. Set in the future in what seems like a Seattle area city. More geared towards teen readers.
November 9, 2013
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf is an amalgamation of fantasy, science fiction genres with a detective/ murder mystery theme. It is set in the futuristic world of Nodlon with typical 'old school' fantasy characters (Dwarves, elves goblins, etc) following a good verses evil story arc. The main plot of this book being the investigation of an epidemic of missing dwarves.
I personally struggled with the concept of dwarves, elves and goblins, etc living in a futuristic world. That maybe though because I have read too many 'Lord of the Rings' type fantasy books and just can't picture them in this type of world where there is space cruisers and space travel. I'm perhaps more of a traditionlist here. That said from a SciFi point of view I did find the world very interesting although I would have preferred a little more descriptive text to really immerse myself in it. I loved the idea of genetically engineered workers, Biots, who are looked upon as a lower class and have little rights. I would liked to have seen this area developed and explored a little more - may be it is in the later books.
The story line itself is an interesting one following the main protagonists as they try to uncover who is murdering the dwarves and their motives behind the crime. It is reasonably well paced throughout and I kept going to the end as I did want to find out how things developed. For me it just lacked a bit of depth with some parts being a little too simplistic or cliched. The book ends with everything left hanging leaving the reader with a host of unanswered questions. I wasn't gripped enough to want to pick up the next book in the series. I have some minor gripes with the writing, sometimes it can be a little confusing. For example quite often the character of Inspector Gumshoe is referred to as 'Gumshoe' or 'detective' or 'policeman' or 'Inspector' within the space of a few paragraphs leaving me to have to re-read parts to find out if the author is talking about the same character or not. It would definitely benefit from better editing.
Overall it has an intriguing story arc that could be developed well in further books in the series. Personally I prefer a bit more depth, characterization and detail in the world building but as a quick read or as a book for YA's it's not bad.
I personally struggled with the concept of dwarves, elves and goblins, etc living in a futuristic world. That maybe though because I have read too many 'Lord of the Rings' type fantasy books and just can't picture them in this type of world where there is space cruisers and space travel. I'm perhaps more of a traditionlist here. That said from a SciFi point of view I did find the world very interesting although I would have preferred a little more descriptive text to really immerse myself in it. I loved the idea of genetically engineered workers, Biots, who are looked upon as a lower class and have little rights. I would liked to have seen this area developed and explored a little more - may be it is in the later books.
The story line itself is an interesting one following the main protagonists as they try to uncover who is murdering the dwarves and their motives behind the crime. It is reasonably well paced throughout and I kept going to the end as I did want to find out how things developed. For me it just lacked a bit of depth with some parts being a little too simplistic or cliched. The book ends with everything left hanging leaving the reader with a host of unanswered questions. I wasn't gripped enough to want to pick up the next book in the series. I have some minor gripes with the writing, sometimes it can be a little confusing. For example quite often the character of Inspector Gumshoe is referred to as 'Gumshoe' or 'detective' or 'policeman' or 'Inspector' within the space of a few paragraphs leaving me to have to re-read parts to find out if the author is talking about the same character or not. It would definitely benefit from better editing.
Overall it has an intriguing story arc that could be developed well in further books in the series. Personally I prefer a bit more depth, characterization and detail in the world building but as a quick read or as a book for YA's it's not bad.
October 7, 2013
A very brief review....
This was the first book I won from the Goodreads giveaways and I was not disappointed.
When I first started the book I could not quite get into it. Whether this was my mood, I'm unsure....
However, a few chapters in (short chapters), I started to get into it and was completely hooked!
I would describe this book as sci-fi, with a fantasy twist. Think of it as futuristic with flying cars with dwarves, elves and magic. It was certainly something different for me and I enjoyed it.
I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys both sci-fi and fantasy novels.
This was the first book I won from the Goodreads giveaways and I was not disappointed.
When I first started the book I could not quite get into it. Whether this was my mood, I'm unsure....
However, a few chapters in (short chapters), I started to get into it and was completely hooked!
I would describe this book as sci-fi, with a fantasy twist. Think of it as futuristic with flying cars with dwarves, elves and magic. It was certainly something different for me and I enjoyed it.
I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys both sci-fi and fantasy novels.
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