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Upsetting the Tides
Clark Jackson, a forty-three-year-old-accountant, discovers a portal to a strange room. At first, the portal serves as an escape, a room for taking naps without time passing back on Earth. He comes to realize that a passageway has been opened when alien species begin passing through to Des Moines, Iowa. The realization of infinite worlds suddenly open to travel dawns on Clark. In his travels he meets species that are friendly conversationalists and willing trading partners and other species that are not so kind to portal travelers. Meanwhile, the mysterious Environmental Protection Agency has advanced technology at their disposal. The energy signatures given off by Clark’s new device and aliens traveling to Des Moines attract their attention . . . Upsetting the Tides is the first novel in a new series of Science Fiction/Action/Thriller stories.
210 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2011
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
David Englund
6 books94 followersDavid is a storyteller (science fiction author) and teaches economics at North Dakota State University. His first two titles, Upsetting the Tides and Unseasonal War, are available on Amazon.com. Camouflaged Encounters is due out in 2014 and a fourth and fifth book are in progress.
David's blog/web site is davidjenglund.blogspot.com and he can be reached at davidenglund7@gmail.com.
His interests include reading, writing, baseball, cooking Italian food, and walking/jogging. David currently lives in Fargo, North Dakota.
David's blog/web site is davidjenglund.blogspot.com and he can be reached at davidenglund7@gmail.com.
His interests include reading, writing, baseball, cooking Italian food, and walking/jogging. David currently lives in Fargo, North Dakota.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 5, 2012
Clark Jackson (not Clark Kent) has a very ordinary life until he finds a portal in his back yard. Then he leads a very extraordinary life but remains a very ordinary man. “I wonder if Sarina likes me” becomes as important a question as what do the Feds know, and far more important than the fact that aliens might be invading earth.
The alien technology is dangerously easy to use and Clark’s inner dialog is humorously juvenile. Falling from one unlikely situation to the next, Clark, like a modern-day Gulliver, travels the universe trying not to be fried, eaten, ignored or thrown out with the trash. All while keeping ahead of the FEDs and putting in the hours to keep his job.
The story reads like an adventure game. I can almost imagine rolling the dice, choosing my portal and waiting for the gamesmaster to tell me how the natives react. Conversations convey detail from lifestyle to lifespan and more. And the streets of Des Moines, Iowa, might never be the same.
At 333 pages this is a fairly long novel. Though the dialog reads quickly, the detail can sometimes slow it down. TV scenes of invasion and inept violence pair ironically with Clark’s own thoughtlessness, leading to a final conflict filled with the bells and whistles of computer graphics. First in a series, this novel stands alone with no problem. It upsets a lot of aliens and just maybe leads Clark to a slightly greater sense of responsibility. The story would make a good TV series and feels complete rather than cancelled when you reach the end.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.
The alien technology is dangerously easy to use and Clark’s inner dialog is humorously juvenile. Falling from one unlikely situation to the next, Clark, like a modern-day Gulliver, travels the universe trying not to be fried, eaten, ignored or thrown out with the trash. All while keeping ahead of the FEDs and putting in the hours to keep his job.
The story reads like an adventure game. I can almost imagine rolling the dice, choosing my portal and waiting for the gamesmaster to tell me how the natives react. Conversations convey detail from lifestyle to lifespan and more. And the streets of Des Moines, Iowa, might never be the same.
At 333 pages this is a fairly long novel. Though the dialog reads quickly, the detail can sometimes slow it down. TV scenes of invasion and inept violence pair ironically with Clark’s own thoughtlessness, leading to a final conflict filled with the bells and whistles of computer graphics. First in a series, this novel stands alone with no problem. It upsets a lot of aliens and just maybe leads Clark to a slightly greater sense of responsibility. The story would make a good TV series and feels complete rather than cancelled when you reach the end.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.
December 27, 2011
In this book, Kate is just getting settled into her role as the owner of Cutting Edge Investigations, when a monumental case is brought to her door. It seems that a secret society has been developing a device that has the potential to harm every magic user in the entire city. Kate must uncover their secrets and stop the threat. Meanwhile, Kate is dealing with the pressures of being mated to the Pack alpha, and struggling to keep her ward, Julie, safe and out of trouble.
Positive Comments:
This book is smart. You don't usually find a lot of social or philosophical commentary in urban fantasy books. And that's fine, because urban fantasy books are action driven by nature and they don't need to be thought provoking to be entertaining. The great thing about this book is that it has these themes about class, social structure, and morality, presented so subtly that you barely notice them. But they're in there, making the story seem richer. The conflict is about a group of people who want to destroy magic, because they believe that magic creates an unfair class system. Those born with magic get better jobs and have an easier time in the world than those without it. This group is willing to basically commit genocide to get what they want. The later part of the book has magic users, many of whom are normally rivals, banding together to stop the threat. Additionally, the creation of the device itself is a lot like the creation of the atomic bomb or dynamite (the book references the atomic bomb directly); The creator thinks he's doing a good thing, and is so caught up in the invention process that he isn't really thinking about long term consequences. And all of this is weaved into the story so that it doesn't slow down the action or over tax the reader's brain.
I love the characters. Kate has grown on me, and I like her more with each book I read. She's tough, smart, and funny. She's flawed in many ways, but she has a good heart. I love Curran, who in all his surliness really just wants to be with Kate, unconditionally. This book has their relationship taking some big strides toward maturity. It's not a romance novel happily ever after, but it does make me feel warm and fuzzy. I also really like Julie, even though she's a walking, talking plot device more than anything else. I love Andrea, who is a fitting best friend for Kate. I'm eager to see her grow and develop more in future books.
Critical Comments:
There is so much plot that it does, at times, feel a bit crowded. Especially in the middle, when new plot points were still being introduced, I kept thinking "Oh God, what now?!" But it doesn't get confusing, everything manages to connect and wrap up (miraculously) by the end. The end is not what I would call fully satisfying, but it only has the tiniest of cliffhangers. Cliffhanger may be the wrong word--it has a hint of more. Which is good, because I hate dramatic cliffhangers.
In the end, I'm caught up with a series for once! This never happens! It really is a fantastic series, and I highly recommend it to any fantasy fan. Magic Slays excellent addition to the Kate Daniels story. 4.5 stars.
Positive Comments:
This book is smart. You don't usually find a lot of social or philosophical commentary in urban fantasy books. And that's fine, because urban fantasy books are action driven by nature and they don't need to be thought provoking to be entertaining. The great thing about this book is that it has these themes about class, social structure, and morality, presented so subtly that you barely notice them. But they're in there, making the story seem richer. The conflict is about a group of people who want to destroy magic, because they believe that magic creates an unfair class system. Those born with magic get better jobs and have an easier time in the world than those without it. This group is willing to basically commit genocide to get what they want. The later part of the book has magic users, many of whom are normally rivals, banding together to stop the threat. Additionally, the creation of the device itself is a lot like the creation of the atomic bomb or dynamite (the book references the atomic bomb directly); The creator thinks he's doing a good thing, and is so caught up in the invention process that he isn't really thinking about long term consequences. And all of this is weaved into the story so that it doesn't slow down the action or over tax the reader's brain.
I love the characters. Kate has grown on me, and I like her more with each book I read. She's tough, smart, and funny. She's flawed in many ways, but she has a good heart. I love Curran, who in all his surliness really just wants to be with Kate, unconditionally. This book has their relationship taking some big strides toward maturity. It's not a romance novel happily ever after, but it does make me feel warm and fuzzy. I also really like Julie, even though she's a walking, talking plot device more than anything else. I love Andrea, who is a fitting best friend for Kate. I'm eager to see her grow and develop more in future books.
Critical Comments:
There is so much plot that it does, at times, feel a bit crowded. Especially in the middle, when new plot points were still being introduced, I kept thinking "Oh God, what now?!" But it doesn't get confusing, everything manages to connect and wrap up (miraculously) by the end. The end is not what I would call fully satisfying, but it only has the tiniest of cliffhangers. Cliffhanger may be the wrong word--it has a hint of more. Which is good, because I hate dramatic cliffhangers.
In the end, I'm caught up with a series for once! This never happens! It really is a fantastic series, and I highly recommend it to any fantasy fan. Magic Slays excellent addition to the Kate Daniels story. 4.5 stars.
December 14, 2011
3.5
This is a science-fiction e-book by writer David Englund written in a weird way, but sprinkled with humour and all the usual (acceptable) sci-fi cliché.
First off, I have to say I didn't love the start. I had to force myself to read it because (fact alert) I'll only stop reading a book if I'm getting to the point where it's is practically impossible for me to continue. But it gets better. If you decide to read this, about a third of the way through you'll be drawn in as the plot starts to improve and the actually fantasy element becomes more prevalent.
I can imagine some people would read this as being melodramatic and not enjoying it, but I think it requires a different sense of humour. It wasn't uproariously hilarious, but it made me smile fairly frequently. It's third person, so the humour tends to appear when we jump into Clark's head. On that note, I think I should say I didn't have a problem with Clark, but I didn't like him either. He seemed a bit tactless occasionally and even a bit slow on the uptake. But I could enjoy the story anyway. As I say, he wasn't bad.
I think the thing I liked the most had to be the Gadgets and Alien race. As always with Sci-Fi or fantasy, I find these elements particularly interesting. I liked the idea that races would change a develop in different ways and how their lives, intelligences and outlooks changes dependent on how they evolve. And it's all believable here. Whether its the idea of hive mind and mutual advancement, or living simply and merely as required.
I had some problems with the book I admit. I think it felt rushed, sometimes, and that some points of the story were told (not shown). It just took away from the book. But again, I think the tone and way of the book makes it that you get used to it to read.
There's nothing else to say. It wasn't a horrible book, but I wouldn't charge out to buy it. But its short and cheap ($0.99 I think) so it's up to your discretion. I think I should say this is an honest review, but my slight derision and my slightly disinterested tone makes that clear. And, if it interests you, I probably will get the sequel too. I need to see where it might go, and it should be engaging!
Thinking back on the book now, I'd say it was written as a train of thought, despite it not being in third person. It's hard to explain, because it's only a feeling, but I'm confident that (for me) that's the best way to think of it.
This is a science-fiction e-book by writer David Englund written in a weird way, but sprinkled with humour and all the usual (acceptable) sci-fi cliché.
First off, I have to say I didn't love the start. I had to force myself to read it because (fact alert) I'll only stop reading a book if I'm getting to the point where it's is practically impossible for me to continue. But it gets better. If you decide to read this, about a third of the way through you'll be drawn in as the plot starts to improve and the actually fantasy element becomes more prevalent.
I can imagine some people would read this as being melodramatic and not enjoying it, but I think it requires a different sense of humour. It wasn't uproariously hilarious, but it made me smile fairly frequently. It's third person, so the humour tends to appear when we jump into Clark's head. On that note, I think I should say I didn't have a problem with Clark, but I didn't like him either. He seemed a bit tactless occasionally and even a bit slow on the uptake. But I could enjoy the story anyway. As I say, he wasn't bad.
I think the thing I liked the most had to be the Gadgets and Alien race. As always with Sci-Fi or fantasy, I find these elements particularly interesting. I liked the idea that races would change a develop in different ways and how their lives, intelligences and outlooks changes dependent on how they evolve. And it's all believable here. Whether its the idea of hive mind and mutual advancement, or living simply and merely as required.
I had some problems with the book I admit. I think it felt rushed, sometimes, and that some points of the story were told (not shown). It just took away from the book. But again, I think the tone and way of the book makes it that you get used to it to read.
There's nothing else to say. It wasn't a horrible book, but I wouldn't charge out to buy it. But its short and cheap ($0.99 I think) so it's up to your discretion. I think I should say this is an honest review, but my slight derision and my slightly disinterested tone makes that clear. And, if it interests you, I probably will get the sequel too. I need to see where it might go, and it should be engaging!
Thinking back on the book now, I'd say it was written as a train of thought, despite it not being in third person. It's hard to explain, because it's only a feeling, but I'm confident that (for me) that's the best way to think of it.
January 6, 2012
Apparently I am a science fiction fan after all. Reading this reminds me of Isaac Asimov's earlier works. A bit daunting and hard to get into at first but after getting used to it's quite fun actually. Clark Jackson is your usual jaded professional who founds himself in the most unusual situation; he got sucked into a mysterious portal in his backyard. I love that Clark feels real enough as a character because he's not your perfect, drop dead gorgeous action hero that can be found in so many books. He's totally clueless and his witty monologues are dripping with sarcasm. He's 43 after all.
The adventure moves along in a breath neck speed but somehow between jumping into so many other worldly dimensions, our hero has the time to have a crush on a fellow colleague.
Aw..shucks! That's so sweet. Along the way, Clark meet not so friendly aliens, ants, hungry talking birds and some marshmallow men. I was initially confused with Chapter 10 and was wondering if there's a secret code to unlock or whatnot.
But the adventure and misadventures of Clark totally grows on me. You have to really keep up with the various dimensions that Clark visited, in order to enjoy the book. In short, this book is a thrilling read with a dose of humour.
The adventure moves along in a breath neck speed but somehow between jumping into so many other worldly dimensions, our hero has the time to have a crush on a fellow colleague.
Aw..shucks! That's so sweet. Along the way, Clark meet not so friendly aliens, ants, hungry talking birds and some marshmallow men. I was initially confused with Chapter 10 and was wondering if there's a secret code to unlock or whatnot.
But the adventure and misadventures of Clark totally grows on me. You have to really keep up with the various dimensions that Clark visited, in order to enjoy the book. In short, this book is a thrilling read with a dose of humour.
December 14, 2011
If things seem too good to be true they usually are.
A great story of adventure and fantasy I really liked the plot of the story and how well the characters were written. Clark Jackson was a fun and relatable character that really grows on you throughout the story. Against his better judgment he investigates a portal to a strange room where he find that he can take a break from his hectic life without time passing on earth. However he soon realizes his mistake when he attracts unwanted attention from the mysterious Environmental Protection Agency.
“Upsetting the Tides” is a highly entertaining read that has enough twists and turns in it to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next.
Check out Clark’s exciting adventure in David Englund’s “Upsetting the Tides”.
A great story of adventure and fantasy I really liked the plot of the story and how well the characters were written. Clark Jackson was a fun and relatable character that really grows on you throughout the story. Against his better judgment he investigates a portal to a strange room where he find that he can take a break from his hectic life without time passing on earth. However he soon realizes his mistake when he attracts unwanted attention from the mysterious Environmental Protection Agency.
“Upsetting the Tides” is a highly entertaining read that has enough twists and turns in it to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next.
Check out Clark’s exciting adventure in David Englund’s “Upsetting the Tides”.
October 22, 2013
When I read the description I was really looking forward to this book, but overall I just found it unfulfilling.
Clark and the other characters seemed flat to me and the writing style had trouble setting the scene and giving a good feeling for the passage of time. The main plot line with the alien was so thin and ridiculous that I have trouble taking it seriously. I also felt that in general Clark's inner realizations and thought were quite simplistic and left me with the impression that the character was dull and I never connected with him.
I also need to say that the one "classified" chapter annoyed me quite a bit. I don't understand how a first person novel can suddenly have a redacted section from the government and the 20 or so blank pages just made me frustrated.
Overall I think the author needs to polish up his skills.
gallandro
Clark and the other characters seemed flat to me and the writing style had trouble setting the scene and giving a good feeling for the passage of time. The main plot line with the alien was so thin and ridiculous that I have trouble taking it seriously. I also felt that in general Clark's inner realizations and thought were quite simplistic and left me with the impression that the character was dull and I never connected with him.
I also need to say that the one "classified" chapter annoyed me quite a bit. I don't understand how a first person novel can suddenly have a redacted section from the government and the 20 or so blank pages just made me frustrated.
Overall I think the author needs to polish up his skills.
gallandro
June 21, 2012
I was asked to review this book by the author. It reminds me of Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" except that the traveler was an adult. It was full of foreign planets and strange creatures. The writing style suggested to me that it was written for a young audience except that, as I said before, the main character was an adult with a job and a house and a potential girlfriend, etc. which may not appeal to a younger audience. There were fights with aliens and technological devices that did cool things like enable the user to fly and translate alien speech, quests and all kinds of aliens. Maybe that would make up for the relatively elementary writing.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews