Author Interviews

This post is a list of back-links to the author interviews I posted on my old blog.  All of that content is still "live" and available for readers.  This list includes wonderful and award-winning authors.  Please get to know them and their work.

Elias Anderson
Ashley Barron
Wayne Basta
J.C. Cassels
Connie M. Huddleston
Shelli Johnson
Walter E. Wilson

Review: Prometheus

I went to see Prometheus knowing that it was Ridley Scott’s creation and had an “Alien” tie-in.  Beyond that, I’d stayed away from critical reviews and accompanying spoilers.

THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS.  YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.

The cinematography was fabulous.  From the opening sequence until the final, startling, minute of the movie, there was a sense of scope and majesty.  I should note that although this is a “space movie”, the setting is primarily an alien planet and the inside of a human ship.  That’s important, because this wasn’t an “alien centric” movie.

That’s right: despite the fact that the passengers of the Prometheus are on a mission to find and question an alien life form, this movie is ultimately a human drama with aliens thrown in for dramatic juxtapositions.  Prometheus is a creation myth—or all creation myths, jumbled together in Wikipedia form and thrown onto the big screen—any way you look at it.

The characterizations were a little weak—but that actually makes the movie work.  Again, this is a story about humanity’s past, present and future.  Stereotypical characters are easier for an audience to relate to.  Thoughts of “I know how she feels” and “Yeah I’ve had a witchy boss just like Vickers” draw the viewer in and make him/her emotionally invested in the storyline.

That’s not to say I didn’t have issues with several character story points.  Fifield was well played by Sean Harris, but can we have a redheaded character who isn’t bat-crap insane? Also, the writers made a point of telling us that Dr. Elisabeth Shaw was infertile, only to have her conceive almost immediately.  Granted it was no ordinary pregnancy, but come on—a scientist who says she’s infertile isn’t basing that off a hunch.  She was obviously able to ovulate, her tubes were open enough to have the egg be fertilized and then move to her uterus to implant.  Exactly which part of her reproductive system WASN’T working?

That leads me to the most gut-wrenching (pun most definitely intended) part of the movie.  In a film filled with visceral (heh) imagery, the scene of Shaw’s self-induced, barely-medicated, caesarean section made every single woman in the audience writhe in pain.  Just...damn.

I really enjoyed Prometheus.  It didn’t offer anything particularly new, (The concept that life here began out there is not exactly original.) but the action keeps the audience engaged (or writhing).  A sci-fi fan will see the ending coming, as the foreshadowing is a bit heavy handed, but the finale still comes as a kick in the head.

Game over, man, game over.

Review: Alone on the Edge

I "met" Patrick Stutzman, author of "Alone on the Edge" through my participation in Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. Patrick is a great guy and the "geek's geek".  He loves role-playing-games, sci-fi, and all things Star Wars.  When he published his first book, I was very excited to read it.

I loved the premise of this book. Mr. Stutzman does a good job of making you feel exactly how alone the heroine really feels. If you like your sci-fi on the gritty side, with a dash of smut and a storyline that hasn't been done-to-death, this is the book for you.

Format: 5 Stars
I read the Kindle version of this book. The book was well formatted with no typos (that I noticed). Since I've finished "Alone on the Edge", I've read several other e-books ( self-published and from "traditional" publishing companies).  All but one of those recent e-books lacked proper Table of Contents and chapter hyperlinks.  Patrick's book is a true gem because he took the time to format it correctly.

Premise: 5 stars 
There are hundreds of thousands of sci-fi books on the market. Most of those have a futuristic space setting. Finding a book that is set in space, in the future, and doesn't make you roll your eyes and go "Oh not THIS again" is a nice change.

Prose: 4 stars
This book is very descriptive. At times it was TOO descriptive. I wasn't expect graphic sexual language and you will find that in the first ten pages! (Note: the author has included a warning about the content on the Amazon description page.)

Plot and Execution: 3 stars
I found the middle section of this book to be very slow. I had a hard time staying engaged. I know that the author was trying to make the reader feel the depth's of Anna's despair and loneliness, but I think he went a bit overboard. Also, there were several minor plot points raised during this time that were abandoned or did not reach a satisfying conclusion. The final climax of the story required far too many mental gymnastics and ripped me right out of the story.

Final Rating: 3.5 stars
Ever since I initially published this review on Goodreads, I've felt like a horrible person.  I know how badly a 3star or lower review can hurt an author.  Also, a self-published author relies on word of mouth and reviews to promote his or her work.  On the other hand, I feel that giving a book an honest critique is the only way I can maintain my own integrity.  If I give a book 5 stars, it means I think it's the greatest book I've read in a long time.  4 stars are for books I enjoyed but weren't necessarily "great".  3 star books are good books that I've had several issues with while reading. Some of the issues might be e-book formatting or editing, or they may be content related.  This is why a longer text review is, in my opinion, more helpful to an author and a reader.  You can read for yourself why I gave a book a lower rating and decide if my opinions are bunk.  And let me be clear on that, reviews are MY OPINIONS.  What I like or dislike isn't going to be the same as what you like or dislike.  That's why books are awesome.

In conclusion, I like this author and look forward to reading more from him. While I only gave this book 3.5 stars, I still recommend it to my friends.  Patrick Stutzman is a good author who deserves recognition for his work.