Flame Tree Press Tour - Queen of the Cicadas

 

TITLE: Queen of the Cicadas

AUTHOR: V. Castro

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: June 22, 2021

PAGES: 256

SOURCE: ARC

SYNOPSIS: 2018 - Belinda Alvarez has returned to Texas for the wedding of her best friend Veronica. The farm is the site of the urban legend,La Reina de Las Chicharras - The Queen of The Cicadas.

In 1950s south Texas a farm worker- Milagros from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is murdered. Her death is ignored by the town, but not the Aztec goddess of death, Mictecacíhuatl. The goddess hears the dying cries of Milagros and creates a plan for both to be physically reborn by feeding on vengeance and worship. 

Belinda and the new owner of the farmhouse - Hector, find themselves immersed in the legend and realize it is part of their fate as well.

MY THOUGHTS:  I could make this review really short and just tell you that if you love horror, you need to read this book.  But I'll break it down a tad further.  Belinda travels to Texas for the wedding of her best friend.  She has recently lost her job and is questioning a lot of her life choices.  Belinda soon discovers that the farm B&B where the wedding is taking place was the site of a horrible tragedy in the 1950s.  Drawn to this tragedy in part because of her own heritage and in part because she has found a new friend in the farm's owner, Hector, Belinda sets out to right the wrongs which were done years ago and face the terrors which may await.

I immediately took a liking to Belinda.  She is a flawed character but is very open about her flaws and doesn't pull any punches.  The book is formatted in current day events with Belinda and Hector and flashbacks to the history of Milagros and her brutal murder.  

Parts of this book were truly terrifying and I honestly love to see this made into a motion picture.  Castro's descriptions were horrifying and beautiful - often at the same time.  I loved learning of the legend of La Reina de Las Chicharras and I couldn't read this book fast enough.  Rarely am I disappointed from Flame Tree Press but this book deserves to be shouted about.  So I'm shouting - READ IT NOW!

I can't wait to read more from V. Castro and she is a horror voice to be reckoned with!

RATING: 5 PAWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Violet Castro was born in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican American parents. Since Violet was a child, she wrote short horror stories and was always fascinated with dark fiction beginning with Mexican folklore and the urban legends of Texas. At eighteen Violet left Texas for Philadelphia to attend Drexel University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and History. 

Violet now lives with her family in the U.K. writing and travelling with her children. She tries to return to the US twice a year to see her parents, three sisters and extended family. 

For More information about her books and other publications, please visit www.vvcastro.com. You can also follow her on Twitterand Instagram @vlatinalondon. 

Flame Tree Press Blog Tour - The Forever House

It's no secret Flame Tree Press is one of my favorite publishers of horror novels.  Looks like they've got another winner on their hands!  Thanks to the author, published and Anne Cater for the invitation to this blog tour.

TITLE: The Forever House

AUTHOR: Tim Waggoner

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: March 26, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

"Bram Stoker Award-winner Tim Waggoner consistently delivers the goods when it comes to hard-hitting horror fiction, with compelling characters and dangerous horrors at every turn." - This is Horror In Rockridge, Ohio, a sinister family moves into a sleepy cul de sac. 

The Eldreds feed on the negative emotions of humans, creating nightmarish realms within their house to entrap their prey. Neighbors are lured into the Eldreds' home and faced with challenges designed to heighten their darkest emotions so their inhuman captors can feed and feed well. If the humans are to have any hope of survival, they'll have to learn to overcome their prejudices and resentments toward one another and work together. 

But which will prove more deadly in the end, the Eldred . . . or each other? 

MY THOUGHTS: So honestly, I think I picked the perfect time to pick up The Forever House. Given the current affairs of today, it was a great way to get away from reality and immerse myself in a wonderfully horrific and gruesome tale. 

The Eldreds are moving in to a new home.  And not just any home, but one which was the scene of a terrible family slaughter a few years prior to their arrival.  And that's exactly why they've targeted it. The Eldreds are interesting beings who feed on emotions and make games out of entrapping their targets.  It's really no comparison but they kind of struck me as a twisted Addams Family.  You have  Father Hunger, the Werewife, two children, a "grandother," some metal head I'm not sure I fully ever understood, which was a good thing, and a creepy car. 

And as if that isn't enough, you also have the clueless families who are the Eldred's new neighbors in the cul-de-sac. I think Waggoner creates some of the most unlikable characters I've ever encountered.  Characters who you know exist out there in the real world, characters you really feel for, and characters you truly despise. 

This book is not for the faint of heart and Waggoner definitely has his own brand of horror.  In fact, I still don't know if I've gotten over "the pink devil" from the last book I read by him and now "metal head" will be right there keeping it company.  I also think he does a great job of portraying to the reader that it isn't always monsters you need to fear.

Needless to say, I loved every minute of this book.  Maybe that's a testament to how twisted my mind really is or perhaps it's a testament of how scary the real world is so I need to bury myself in books which are scarier.  Either way, I highly recommend this book to any fans of the horror genre. 

Thank you Mr. Waggoner for giving me some "peace" in this horrific world!

RATING: 5 Paws

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tim Waggoner’s first novel came out in 2001, and since then he’s published over forty novels and five collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. His novels include Like Death,
considered a modern classic in the genre, and the popular
Nekropolis series of urban fantasy novels. He’s written tie-in fiction for Supernatural, Grimm, the X-Files, Doctor Who, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Alien, and Transformers, among others, and he’s written novelizations for films such as Kingsman: the Golden Circle and Resident Evil: the Final Chapter. His articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Journal, Writer’s Workshop of Horror, and Where Nightmares Come From.

n 2017 he received the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction, and he’s been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Scribe Award. His fiction has received numerous Honorable Mentions in volumes of Best Horror of the Year, and in 2016, the Horror Writers
Association honored him with the Mentor of the Year Award. In addition to writing, he’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College.

Flame Tree Press Blog Tour - We Are Monsters

Join me today as I take a look at Brian Kirk's We Are Monsters.  Make sure to check out everyone's else's posts as well.  Many thanks to Flame Tree Press, the author and Anne Cater for organizing this!

TITLE: We Are Monsters

AUTHOR: Brian Kirk

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: January 16, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: Nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Some doctors are sicker than their patients. When a troubled psychiatrist loses funding to perform clinical trials on an experimental cure for schizophrenia, he begins testing it on his asylum's criminally insane, triggering a series of side effects that opens the mind of his hospital's most dangerous patient, setting his inner demons free. 

MY THOUGHTS: This book was originally written in 2015 and it was a very ambitious undertaking for a first novel.  I think Kirk did a good job weaving a complex tale of medical treatment, mental illness and sanity which for me worked at times and during other times, confused me.

The novel is divided into three different sections.  The first two focuses on character development and a look into the medical workings of an asylum and into the complex and controversial world of mental health treatment.  Dr. Adam Drexler has been working for years to develop a cure for schizophrenia.  His funding and experimental sources have run dry, so he takes a chance and experiments on his own brother.  Dr. Eli Alpert runs the Sugar Hill Asylum and believes that treatment should focus more on the strengths of the people suffering from the disorders he treats rather than numb them and their actions through medication.  As expected,  the two eventually clash.  Dr. Drexler dethrones Dr. Alpert but will his experiment on the infamous Apocalypse Killer bring him success or be his downfall.

I actually found this book fairly enjoyable.  I never really liked the characters, but even that worked for me where it usually doesn't. I don't know that Kirk was really trying to make any of the characters endearing.  Instead, he paints a vivid portrait of sanity vs. insanity.  The novel was progressing rather nicely until I reached the third part.  That's when all hell broke loose and I started to question what exactly I was reading.  During this part I found myself somewhat confused.

I also have to mention that there is a rather sudden animal death in the early stages of the book.  Dr. Drexler runs over his wife's precious dog Popeye coming home for work one night.  While I felt he was a tad inconsiderate and heartless during the situation, my opinion of him was solidified when he then brought his wife and brother Popeye's takeout a few days later.  Just saying...

Plenty of people like books featuring asylums and tackling mental health issues so I can see a lot of people who love horror giving this book a whirl.  Kirk's take on the setting and issues definitely showed the scary side of treatment and did manage to humanize people other's often consider "monsters" and actually showed that there are "monsters" on both sides of the treatment.

RATING: 3 PAWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian Kirk is a Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of dark thrillers and psychological suspense. His debut novel, WE ARE MONSTERS, was released in July 2015. In addition to being nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel, WE ARE MONSTERS was optioned for film development by Executive Producer, Jason Shuman.

His short fiction has been published in many notable magazines and anthologies, most recently Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories alongside multiple New York Times bestselling authors.

Visit his website for more information, or just to chat. Don't worry, he only kills his characters.

Don't Travel in a Blizzard - Snowball Review

TITLE: Snowball
AUTHOR: Gregory Bastianelli
PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press
PUBLISHING DATE: January 16, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: A group of motorists become stranded on a lonely stretch of highway during a Christmas Eve blizzard and fight for survival against an unnatural force in the storm. The gathered survivors realize a tenuous connection among them means it may not be a coincidence that they all ended up on this highway. An attempt to seek help leads a few of the travelers to a house in the woods where a twisted toymaker with a mystical snow globe is hell bent on playing deadly games with a group of people just trying to get home for the holidays. 

MY THOUGHTS:  I honestly am batting 1000 with some of my holiday reads this December and I must say Snowball knocked it out of the park!  The book opens with a snowplow driver on a desolate highway on Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard lamenting the fact that he should have retired BEFORE the holidays.  Suddenly he is stuck in the middle of storm and his accident leads others to pile up behind him. The only problem is no one can find the driver, only his snowplow and a seat covered with blood.

Over the next few chapters, Bastianelli introduces the reader to other other people crazy enough to be traveling in the middle of a blizzard on Christmas Eve and their reasoning for making such a questionable decision.  You have a young couple in love, an elderly couple in an RV whom I never trusted for a minute because I've read Doctor Sleep, a single business man, a husband and wife duo, a trucker, a mother and her two young children and college friends.  One by one they each encounter their own perils as they try to determine what is going on and find their way home.  Without giving away anything more, I'll just add that if you love horror, snowy settings, and action then immediately add this book to your TBR.

While I didn't love all of the characters in Bastianelli's novel, I was interested in all of them which is rare when I don't feel a connection.  I was seriously curious about what was going on and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what happened next.  Also I won't lie - from the beginning I wanted some of these people to die.  And not only do we have the blizzard itself, the individuals also have to deal with snowmen with teeth, scary Christmas legends, a man with a ice hooks and a few other surprises.  As Snowball plays out, the reader starts making sense of what is happening and it's one twisted ride!

This is a perfect read for someone want to jazz up their winter months with blood, horror and an action-packed thrill ride.  I really have no complaints about the book whatsoever except for the stupid lovebirds which are so in love it is clouding their common sense.  There is no insta-love and the romance is extremely minimal so if those things bug you, pick up this book anyway because they won't are barely present.  I loved Snowball and Bastianelli is an author to watch!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 5 PAWS

Random Things Tours - The Influence

Once again I'm proud to be part of the blog tour for another great title from Flame Tree Press.  Read on to learn more about Ramsey Campbell's The Influence.  

TITLE: The Influence

AUTHOR: Ramsey Campbell

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: October 24, 2019

FROM GOODREADS:  Queenie is the ageing matriarch of the Faraday family, and even death can’t break her hold over her eleven-year-old granddaughter Rowan. She’s buried with a locket that contains a lock of Rowan’s hair, and soon afterwards Rowan is befriended by a mysterious uncannily intelligent girl of her own age. Only her aunt Hermione suspects how sinister this is, but will retrieving the locket save her niece? By the time anyone sees what effect the ghostly influence on Rowan is having, it may be too late for her. if the child who takes her place in the family isn’t Rowan, Rowan may be somewhere else not quite like our world…

MY THOUGHTS: By now most people who stop by here know I love horror so I was thrilled to get a chance to read The Influence.  Flame Tree Press has had such great titles since their debut that I knew the odds were good that I would enjoy this book.  And enjoy I did!

First I have to say that Campbell is excellent at creating an atmospheric read.  I truly love a Gothic setting and a slow-burn and this book delivered.  As mentioned above, Queenie, once the head of the Faraday family has passed and with all her supernatural powers, she has managed to maintain a grip on the youngest member of the family, eleven year old Rowan.  About the same time, Rowan becomes friends with a very mysterious girl who just may or may not be real.  Can anyone figure out what is going on before it's too late?

I really enjoyed Rowan as well as her family even if at times I questioned their awareness of what goes on around them.  And basically, Queenie is pretty evil and about as scary at they come.  This book does contain perspectives as well as a timeline that sometimes jumps back and forth but they work well together to add to the tension-building of Ramsey's tale.  In addition, I would be amiss not to mention that I found in this novel, the creepy old house and the English setting increase the creepiness factor and actually combine to form a character of their own.

If you like atmospheric horror and enjoy tales of possession (yes, I realize how weird that sounds) then pick up The Influence.  You might just discover a new favorite.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Also - be sure the catch the Neflix adaptation. I really enjoyed it as well and think it's one of their better original movies.

RATING: 4 PAWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  
Ramsey Campbell was born in Liverpool in 1946and still lives on Merseyside. The Oxford Companion to English Literature describes him as “Britain’s most respected living horror writer”. He has been given more awards than any other writer in the field, including the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild and the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. 



AWARDS: The Influence, British Fantasy Award, Best Novel,1989 and Premios Gigamesh,1994(for Spanish translation, Ultratumba) 

Grand Master Award, World Horror Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, 1999 

Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, 1999 

Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild, 2007 

Life Achievement Award, World Fantasy Awards, 2015

Flame Tree Press Blog Tour - Slash

So I'm doing double duty today.  Not only am I thrilled to FINALLY be participating in a blog tour for one of my favorite horror novelists, but I also get to do so with my Buddy Reads Partner in Crime - Stormi.  We both were able to snag this blog tour and I couldn't have been more thrilled.  So read on and then visit Stormi over @  Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!  And by the way, make sure you visit all of the participants listed above as the days go by.

TITLE: Slash

AUTHOR: Hunter Shea

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: October 24, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: Five years after Ashley King survived the infamous Resort Massacre, she’s found hanging in her basement by her fiancé, Todd Matthews. She left behind clues as to what really happened that night, clues that may reveal the identity of the killer the press has called The Wraith. With the help of his friends, Todd goes back to the crumbling Hayden Resort, a death-tinged ruin in the Catskills Mountains. What they find is a haunted history that’s been lying in wait for a fresh set of victims. The Wraith is back, and he’s nothing what they expected. 

MY THOUGHTS: Oh where do I began.  I had wonderful intentions of reading so many great horror books during the month of October but I read a couple that disappointed and honestly, it put me in a reading slump.  So many fellow bloggers knew this was on my TBR and hinted that this one would pull me out of it and that I would not be disappointed.  Now I have read numerous Shea books and as mentioned, he's one of my favorite authors, so I knew there was a good chance they were right.  Well guess what?  They were right.

So Slash starts off with Ashley and her fiance Todd.  Ashley and her friends were part of a huge massacre at the Hayden Resort five years ago and Ashley is the "final girl" meaning she is the only one that survived.  She lives the next five years of her life being idolized by many but also being in fear that the Wraith will find her and finish the job.  So early on, she kills herself (so not a spoiler folks).  Todd finds her and understandably has a hard time coping.  As part of the progress, he starts looking for clues Ashley left about everything that happened and he eventually starts putting the pieces together.   Todd decides to go to the Hayden Resort, which is set for demolition to see if he can find any more clues left from Ashley.  His friends decide to follow him.  But will they find the clues or will they find more than they bargained for?

This book was such a thrilling read.  Now I will admit the first 75 pages or so were slower paced but they were providing a lot of set-up and backstory.  Once the action started, it was hold on to your seat time.  Those who have read Shea know that he is not hesitant to kill off characters, and kill off he does.  He also puts a unique twist on the Wraith that I didn't initially see coming but was oh so pleased about where it was headed.  Some of the characters were likable and some not.  Some even straddled the line very precariously.  The ending was exciting and provided the reader with a conclusion that was digestible.  I can say the outcome for one of the characters wasn't what I really wanted, but I'll let it pass.

If you like slasher horror, blood, guts and carnage, then Slash is most definitely the book for you.  And it was the book for me because it actually "slashed" my reading slump (I know, I know).

RATING: 4.5 PAWS (but it may reflect as 4 on Goodreads because Goodreads sucks).

ANIMAL ABUSE TRIGGER WARNING:  NONE!  The is a cute rescue cat - who lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t just write about the paranormal – he actively seeks out the things
that scare the hell out of people and experiences them for
himself. He’s the author of over 25 books, including The Jersey Devil (Pinnacle) and We Are Always Watching (Sinister Grin). Hunter’s novels can even be found on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. The Montauk Monster was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. He was selected to be part of the launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line in 2011 alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. He’s an avid podcaster and can be heard and seen on Monster Men and Final Guys every week. Living with his crazy and supportive family and two cats, he’s happy to be close enough to New York City to see the
skyline without having to pay New York rent. You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.

Blog Tour - The Devil's Equinox

Today I'm presenting you another blog tour stop for John Everson's "The Devil's Equinox" from Flame Tree Press. 

TITLE: The Devil's Equinox

AUTHOR: John Everson

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE:  June 13, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: Austin secretly wishes his wife would drop dead. He even says so one boozy midnight at the bar to a sultry stranger with a mysterious tattoo. When his wife later introduces that stranger as Regina, their new neighbor, Austin hopes she will be a good influence on his wife. Instead, one night he comes home to find his wife dead. Soon he's entranced with Regina, who introduces him to a strange world of bloodletting, rituals and magic. A world that puts everything he loves in peril. Can Austin save his daughter, and himself, before the planets align for the Devil's Equinox? 

MY THOUGHTS: So have you ever secretly wished for something horrible.  If so, read this book and never do it again.  If not, don't.  "The Devil's Equinox" is a fast-paced, blood and sex filled novel not for the weak at heart.  Austin makes a horrible wish which eventually comes true.  And things kind of go downhill from there if you can imagine.

I went into this novel not knowing a lot about it.  Sometimes it's fun to go into things blindly.  This was a quick read and I did like getting to know Austin, but don't mistake that for liking him.  I really didn't care much for any of the characters in this novel but I didn't find that necessary to enjoy it.  I do think Regina was quite intriguing and rather scary - I don't think I would befriend her in a bar.

I kept turning the pages to find out what happens next and before I knew it, the book was finished.  I would kind of compare it to a B-horror movie which is okay, because sometimes you just want to immerse yourself in something that isn't reality-based.  If you like that kind of book, then Iverson is definitely an author you want to check out.

RATING: 3 PAWS

COYER CHALLENGE UPDATE: Any type of horror

John Everson is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of the novels Covenant, Sacrifice, The 13th, Siren and The Pumpkin Man, all released by Dorchester/Leisure Books in paperback and by Delirium, Necro and Bad Moon Books in limited hardcover. His sixth novel, NightWhere, was a 2012 Bram Stoker Award Finalist. The Family Tree, NightWhereand Violet Eyes, his "creepy spider novel" were released from Samhain Publishing. In January 2017, Redemption, the long-awaited sequel to his novels Covenant and Sacrificewas released. His 10th novel, The House By The Cemetery was released in October 2018 from Flame Tree Press. His 11th novel, The Devil's Equinox, will be released by Flame Tree in June 2019.

A wide selection of his short fiction has been collected in five short story collections - Deadly Nightlusts (Blasphemous Books, 2010), Creeptych (Delirium Books, 2010), Needles & Sins (Necro Books, 2007), Vigilantes of Love (Twilight Tales, 2003) and Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions (Delirium Books, 2000).

John is also the editor of the anthologies Sins of the Sirens (Dark Arts Books, 2008) and In Delirium II(Delirium Books, 2007) and co-editor of the Spooks! ghost story anthology (Twilight Tales, 2004). In 2006, he co-founded Dark Arts Books to produce trade paperback collections spotlighting the cutting edge work of some of the best authors working in short dark fantasy fiction today.

John shares a deep purple den in Naperville, Illinois with a cockatoo and cockatiel, a disparate collection of fake skulls, twisted skeletal fairies, Alan Clark illustrations and a large stuffed Eeyore. There's also a mounted Chinese fowling spider named Stoker courtesy of fellow horror author Charlee Jacob, an ever-growing shelf of custom mix CDs and an acoustic guitar that he can't really play but that his son likes to hear him beat on anyway. Sometimes his wife is surprised to find him shuffling through more public areas of the house, but it's usually only to brew another cup of coffee. In order to avoid the onerous task of writing, he records pop-rock songs in a hidden home studio, experiments with the insatiable culinary joys of the jalapeno, designs book covers for a variety of small presses, loses hours in expanding an array of gardens and chases frequent excursions into the bizarre visual headspace of '70s euro-horror DVDs with a shot of Makers Mark and a tall glass of Newcastle.

For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.comor Facebook at www.facebook.com/johneverson.

Blog Tour - Ten Thousand Thunders by Brian Trent

I'm excited to be part of this blog tour as I am super excited about all the new titles Flame Tree Press has been releasing.  I've tried to read more science fiction this year so I thought this was a great opportunity to read outside my comfort zone!

TITLE:  Ten Thousand Thunders

AUTHOR: Brian Trent

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: October 6, 2018

SYNOPSIS:  Welcome to Earth, the year 322 of the New Enlightenment. Having just been killed in a mysterious shuttle explosion, Gethin Bryce is back to uncover what happened. An unusually gifted investigator with the InterPlanetary Council, Gethin is tasked with seeking out the truth behind unexplained anomalies that lie outside IPC control. In the dazzling arcologies that arose from the ashes of war, death is a passing inconvenience and technology has made all things possible... except for true freedom. Humanity has colonized nearby worlds, but all are subject to the unquestioned authority of the IPC. And expansion beyond Sol is forbidden. In the world outside the arcologies, mortal life is savage and fleeting. The ruins of Old Calendar cities serve as living testaments to an age when warfare nearly extinguished the human race. The remnants of that grisly era linger in the forgotten outlands, catacombs, and diseased underdark, as the descendants of bygone warlords fight for the scraps in the shadow of the civilized world. Now, in the fourth century of a new age, war is brewing once again. A dark conspiracy is extending its reach across cities and worlds. Gethin's investigation takes him from the luxurious enclaves of Earth's elite, to the battered Wastes beyond civilization's protective thrall. Linking up with an inquiry team from a planet-spanning corporate powerhouse, he also befriends a grim and reluctant outlander. She has an important piece of the puzzle--evidence of a sadistic entity which threatens not just civilization, not just Earth, but all life... Everywhere.

MY THOUGHTS:  So I don't read a lot of science fiction and at first I found this  book somewhat intimidating.  However, after the first few chapters, I was immersed the the work of the New Enlightenment and was curious about what was happening.

I found Trent's world building to be spot-on in this book and reading it was much akin to watching an engrossing science fiction film.  The book contains quite a bit of action and a fair amount of political intrigue - in a scientific manner.  I did form a connection to a few of the characters, especially Jack and Keiko.

"Ten Thousand Thunders" is probably the most science-fiction book I've read to date.  Since I liked it, I am sure hardcore fans will be even more caught up in Trent's tale.  "Ten Thousand Thunders" is not a quick read, but it is one worth picking up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Brian Trent's speculative fiction appears regularly in the world's top speculative fiction markets including ANALOG, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, Daily Science Fiction, Apex (winning the Story of the Year Reader's Poll), Escape Pod, Flash Fiction Online, COSMOS, Galaxy's Edge, Nature, The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk, Pseudopod, and numerous year's best anthologies. His work has been featured in several volumes of Flame Tree Publishing's popular Gothic Fantasy Series.'

The author of the historical fantasy series Rahotep, Trent is also a Baen Fantasy Adventure Award finalist and Writers of the Future winner. His nonfiction works have also appeared in Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld, Humanist, and UTNE.

Combining a fascination for history with a unique vision of the future, Trent's novel Ten Thousand Thunders is the beginning of an exciting new science fiction universe.

Trent lives in New England, where he works as a novelist, screenwriter, and poet. His website and blog are located at www.briantrent.com.