INTERVIEW WITH RONALD T. JONES, AUTHOR OF WARRIORS OF THE FOUR WORLDS.

1)      Can you tell us something about your book? Warriors of the Four Worlds is an action-adventure tale set in a far off future in a distant part of the universe. Humans are struggling for survival in the face of certain extinction at the hands of a brutally aggressive species. Warriors is narrated from the perspective of a hardened military veteran, Lev Gorlin, who is forced to take up arms once again to confront a new threat. Lev’s methods in defense of humanity are as merciless and aggressive as the enemy he battles.

2)      How did you come up with the idea? Honestly, I don’t remember. I do know that I approached this story as I’ve approached previous and subsequent stories. I wanted to present the best action and adventure that I could muster. I wanted twists and turns and peril aplenty in my story. I wanted to convey noble and perhaps not so noble heroics and the most dastardly, despicable villainy. Basically, I wanted to write a story that I would enjoy reading.

3)      When did you start writing and what inspired you to write? After gorging on a steady diet of Star Wars, Star Trek and all of the TV, film and literary science fiction that I could consume, an idea took form in my head and began flittering around inside my skull like a crazed moth attracted to light. It occurred to me that I don’t just have to watch this stuff, I can write it as well. So one day, back in the late 80s, I grabbed a pen, some paper and started writing.

4)      Why did you pick science fiction? It never occurred to me to write in any other genre. Science fiction was, is and will always be my passion. This isn’t to say that I’ve only read and written science fiction. But as far as fiction is concerned, science fiction has given me the greatest latitude to expand my imagination, to truly envision wondrous, strange and fantastic things.

5)      What do you want readers to come away with after reading your book? I want readers to come away with that pleasant endorphin-generated feeling you get after enjoying a wonderful movie, or a fine piece of chocolate or a great workout. I want my readers to feel good!

6)      Who is your intended audience? Science fiction fans, people who enjoy rip roaring action and adventure in any genre, anyone enamored of compelling story telling. Hopefully my work will attract any and all of the above.

7)      What writers influenced you the most? I’ve enjoyed the works of David Weber. His space operas are very engaging and his world building is truly epic. The same is true of fantasy writer, Imaro-creator, and godfather of Sword and Soul, Charles Saunders. There’s Steven Barnes and a host of other authors whose works I’ve enjoyed over the years.

8)      What are your favorite aspects of writing? I love creating characters and settings and situations. I love taking the raw material of my imagination and refining it into gripping prose.

9)      Do you have any advice for other writers? Write, write, write. Constantly hone your craft. Write regularly, even if you’re not writing something related to your latest novel or short story. If you’re jotting down a to-do list, you’re writing. The more you write the better you get. Read regularly. Reading proficiency is connected to competent writing. And read aplenty in the genre you’re writing in. You’ll pick up a variety of styles from a variety of authors and eventually your individual style will emerge. Lastly, enjoy yourself. The moment writing becomes a chore instead of something you love so much you’d do it for free (which many aspiring writers are doing anyway) then it’s time to reevaluate your craft.

Review by Rage Books

Powerful, intense and unpredictable

Lev Gorlin is a highly decorated military soldier. He is a superb strategist and a war hero in a galaxy where Humans and Zirans protect the genetically docile Vingin through a tripartite alliance. . After a twenty year war with the Tacherins the humans begin a military drawdown, dismantling their lethal weapons that won the war. But in the eye of a promised peace, discord in the alliance breeds treacherous intentions. Lev Gorlin is pulled out of military retirement to lead the human resistance in face of a more aggressive and violent enemy.

Ronald T. Jones delivers a knockout punch with this exciting tale of military might versus strategic cunning. Warriors of the Four Worlds reads like a Tom Clancy novel. Ronald has embodied the action, intrigue and excitement of Clancy’s Red Storm Rising and masterfully wrapped it in a believable science fiction setting. The combat scenes and the military tactics he describes are told like a combat veteran relaying a personal war story. The feelings are raw and the action is fast.

I highly recommend putting this on your “next book to read” list. Definitely five star material here.

This is available for Kindle, which is great, because you will definitely want to take this book with you and steal time to read it at every opportunity until you are done. Then you will want more.

Malcolm “Rage” Petteway

Author of Osguards: Guardians of the Universe
Owner, Rage Books Publishing LLC

“Bad Reviews: What do you do when it happens to you?”

For a long time I was riding high receiving excellent reviews of my books, especially my first novel, Homecoming. It is the first of a four book military science fiction series called Osguards: Guardians of the Universe. The 2011 Hollywood Book Festival just notified me that Homecoming was recognized with an Honorable Mention Award. In the same week, I was truly delighted to receive a five-star rating from The Midwest Book Review. I was starting to feel very good about my work. However, when I went to Amazon.com to see The Midwest Book Review, I read my first negative review right under it. This review was written by a customer and was a five-paragraph, full-page scathing assessment of my ability as an author. As I read it, I was mortified. My mouth just dropped. My heart stopped beating and the world became silent around me.

I quickly started to respond to the review, but thought better. I walked away from the review and sulked for about an hour and then came back and read it again. This time, I read it without emotion and dissected the words. As I dissected the words, I realized the review was not professional, but a personal attack on me and my wife, who is one of the four editors of my book. I also recognized the reviewer was talking about an earlier version of the book that I self-published in 2001. Since then, I hired an editor and revised the book several times to its present form, which the Hollywood Book Festival and the Midwest Book Review favorably recognized.

I talked to my family and friends about the review. Then, something clicked. The more I talked openly about receiving a negative review the better I felt. Then a couple of days later, I received another national review that was not as positive as the Midwest Book Review. However, it was professional and didn't read like a personal attack. I was more receptive to this review, understanding what in particular this reviewer found needed improvement in my work. I was able to grasp more readily the salient points and store them in my toolkit for future projects. That is what a credible, well thought-out review will do for an author...become a tool to teach, train, hone and push the author to be better. In summary, all reviews are subjective, and depending on the reviewer, they can be mean-spirited or constructive. It is the author’s choice to be discouraged or use it as a learning tool. Remember, one reviewer’s five-star novel may be another reviewer’s one-star reject. So my advice to authors is to judge the veracity of the review. If it’s professional, revise your work if able or use it as a teaching tool. But most of all get as many reviews as possible

In conclusion, after reading these two reviews, rejecting one and learning from the other, I made travel arrangements to California to accept my Honorable Award Recognition from the Hollywood Book Festival for my first novel, Homecoming.

The Crocodile-Factor, Stories-Enigmas, Around an African Tree

These are short African stories-enigmas all around an African tree or a river or a pyramid..!

D. Jahman Deidotree is a very skilled craftsman when writing stories he calls stories- enigmas (even if he is still learning the English language....)

Stories which are mysterious, interrogative? Stories with different meanings and interpretations possible!!! Exposing some unknown African imaginative worlds to discover... Stories as riddles if you will!!! So feel free...use or confront your imagination and follow the shaman Kako on his journeys!

See if you can follow some characters as chiefs or shamans to solve what...what? Any question about the shape or the wrong size of your...what?... Head? Or one of your shoes...??? So please leave a comment if you do or just let the writer know how you feel about this saga!!

One love~

Book Review on Vallar by Cindy Borgne

Sensational, exciting and an emotionally whirlwind!

Ian Connors is a sixteen year-old psychic in this military sci-fi story of love, betrayal and deception. He's works for a militaristic company called Marscorp, and is saddled with the responsibility to use his abilities to gather intelligence on other companies fighting for control of Mars. He cannot control his visions, which wander towards and center on a young girl he's never met. The visions of this young girl captivate him. The more he chases these visions of this girl, the more he changes his fate and the fate of those around him. Eventually, what Ian sees in his visions, cause him to question his place with Marscorp.

Cindy Borgne has a bona fide hit on her hands with Vallar. She expertly weaves a teenager's journey into adulthood, with the pain of combat and the angst of a first love. Ian is a complicated character, which Cindy masterfully captures. He makes mistakes and he is tormented by his mistakes. The reader is drawn into an emotional rollercoaster, cheering Ian as he pushes through hardship, scolding him when he acts immature and crying for him when he suffers.

Additionally, speaking from military experience, Cindy does a superb job of creating combat intense scenes. She writes like a season military veteran. I have to give her a platinum round of applause for keeping this old retired Air Force officer intrigued during the battle scenes.

Vallar is what I call a cross-cutting science fiction novel. It has romance, combat, technical wizardry, suspense and adventure. A definite must read now type of book!

Malcolm Petteway,
Author, Osguards: Guardians of the Universe
Owner, Rage Books LLC
www.ragebooks.net      

“Bad Reviews: What do you do when it happens to you?”

For a long time I was riding high receiving excellent reviews of my books, especially my first novel, Homecoming. It is the first of a four book military science fiction series called Osguards: Guardians of the Universe. The 2011 Hollywood Book Festival just notified me that Homecoming was recognized with an Honorable Mention Award. In the same week, I was truly delighted to receive a five-star rating from The Midwest Book Review. I was starting to feel very good about my work. However, when I went to Amazon.com to see The Midwest Book Review, I read my first negative review right under it. This review was written by a customer and was a five-paragraph, full-page scathing assessment of my ability as an author. As I read it, I was mortified. My mouth just dropped. My heart stopped beating and the world became silent around me.

I quickly started to respond to the review, but thought better. I walked away from the review and sulked for about an hour and then came back and read it again. This time, I read it without emotion and dissected the words. As I dissected the words, I realized the review was not professional, but a personal attack on me and my wife, who is one of the four editors of my book. I also recognized the reviewer was talking about an earlier version of the book that I self-published in 2001. Since then, I hired an editor and revised the book several times to its present form, which the Hollywood Book Festival and the Midwest Book Review favorably recognized.

I talked to my family and friends about the review. Then, something clicked. The more I talked openly about receiving a negative review the better I felt. Then a couple of days later, I received another national review that was not as positive as the Midwest Book Review. However, it was professional and didn't read like a personal attack. I was more receptive to this review, understanding what in particular this reviewer found needed improvement in my work. I was able to grasp more readily the salient points and store them in my toolkit for future projects. That is what a credible, well thought-out review will do for an author...become a tool to teach, train, hone and push the author to be better. In summary, all reviews are subjective, and depending on the reviewer, they can be mean-spirited or constructive. It is the author’s choice to be discouraged or use it as a learning tool. Remember, one reviewer’s five-star novel may be another reviewer’s one-star reject. So my advice to authors is to judge the veracity of the review. If it’s professional, revise your work if able or use it as a teaching tool. But most of all get as many reviews as possible

In conclusion, after reading these two reviews, rejecting one and learning from the other, I made travel arrangements to California to accept my Honorable Award Recognition from the Hollywood Book Festival for my first novel, Homecoming.

 Malcolm Petteway,

Homecoming - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Virtual Book Tour

Homecoming – Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Virtual Book Publicity Tour August 2011

Authors on Tour, Featured — By Dorothy Thompson on July 29, 2011 at 5:43 pm

Join Malcolm Petteway, author of science fiction novel, Homecoming – Osguards: Guardians of the Universe – Book 1 (Rage Books LLC), as he virtually tours the blogosphere August 1 – 26 2011 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to Hollywood

In case you didn’t know, my first novel in the Osguards series, Homecoming, received ‘Honorable Mention’ at the 2011 Hollywood Book Festival Contest. My wife, Karen and I, flew out to receive the award on the weekend of July 22, 2011. We were excited. It was our first award, and we were riding on the national 5-star review from Midwest Book Review. We felt like teenagers going to the prom.

We arrived at the airport, bright and early that Friday morning. We were booked on Air Tran, with one stop in Milwaukee. That’s when the trip from hell began. To make a long story short, I am 6’4.5” inches tall and my height is mostly in my legs. So I always ask for, and usually receive either an exit row or an aisle seat. The flight was full, so in order to do this, Karen and I had to be separated. After 30 minutes and $40 to check two bags, we received our tickets. Even though I had an aisle seat, the problem was, it was the last seat in the plane against the back bulkhead, meaning the leg room was cut in half. Plus the armrest did not lift, so I couldn’t swing my leg out in the aisle. This was painful. Luckily, Karen switched seats and was able to sit next to me on the first leg of our trip.

On the second leg, I was able to get an exit row, but Karen was unable to switch seats and sit next to me. Instead, I sat next to a rude man who upon landing began smoking an electronic cigarette. It looked real, so I said something. Well, I guess I left my diplomatic voice in Washington D.C. and he was already rude, so let’s just say the exchange was brief, but not polite.

Then upon arriving at LAX, I found my suitcase drenched. The few books, I carried with me for display during the ceremony and festival, were wet. I tried to lodge a complaint, but the baggage attendant kept calling it water condensation and claimed there was no damage. We had four hours to get our rental car, check into the hotel, get dressed and leave for the ceremony, so I dropped the complaint and left.

Yet, when we arrived at our hotel room, we pulled our clothes out of the bag, and they were soaked. I know it was raining in Milwaukee, but our bags looked like someone dumped them in a swimming pool and left them there for two hours. Rain should not have soaked all the way through the bag. Needless to say, my blood pressure must have jumped 20 points. I called the airlines and received no satisfaction. They wanted me to go back to the baggage attendant at LAX and lodge a complaint. Been there…done that…and got jack-squat!

Luckily the hotel was able to dry and press our clothes in two hours and I took the blow dryer from the bathroom and attempted to dry the books -- page by page. I also tried to salvage our promotional flyers. After two hours, I had two raggedy, but dry books and a handful, out of 500, flyers. We chose the best looking book to display at the awards ceremony, slipped the handful of flyers in my pocket, and left -- no longer feeling like teenagers going to the prom. When I put my book out for display, alongside the other winners, I almost felt like screaming. But I held my head up high and proceeded to mingle with the other authors.

When it was my turn to accept my award, I ended my acceptance speech with the quick story on how the airlines ruined our books and almost ruined our evening. I compared what our bags went through to the classic T.V. luggage commercial of a gorilla in a cage throwing suitcases around.

Well the rest of the evening was flawless, exciting and we met award winning authors from around the nation. The feeling of two teenagers at the prom soon returned. The next day at the festival was also good. The trip was well worth the agony. I also learned a lesson…carry-on…carry-on…carry-on.

But the feeling did not last long. On the way home, the ticket agent stuffed me in the window seat during both legs of the flight. Even after four days, my knees are still in pain. Maybe next time I win an award, I will shoot for First Class. I certainly won’t fly Air Train.

Malcolm D. Petteway

Author, Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Owner, Rage Books LLC

www.ragebooks.net

1.866.448.2585

1st Author Interviews: Interview with Malcolm Dylan Petteway Author of 'Homecoming'

1st Author Interviews: Interview with Malcolm Dylan Petteway Author of 'H...: "Book Title : Homecoming (Osguards: Guardians of the Universe) Publisher: Rage Books LLC Author: Malcolm Dylan Petteway Genre: Science Fiction"

 

Visit 1st Author Interviews for more!

Homecoming - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Receives Honorable Mention at 2011 Hollywood Book Festival

I am proud to announce that Homecoming, the first book in the Osguards:
Guardians of the Universe series received Honorable Mention for sci-fi in the 2011 Hollywood Book Festival Contest.

Awards ceremony will be held on July 22 at the Roosevelt Hotel. The ceremony will be followed the next day by the Hollywood Book Festival outdoor event at Space15Twenty, a mall located at 1520 North Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood.

Malcolm D. Petteway,

Author, Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Owner, Rage Book Publishing

www.ragebooks.net

1.866.488.2585

Warriors of the Four Worlds by Ronald T. Jones

Powerful, intense and unpredictable

Lev Gorlin is a highly decorated military soldier. He is a superb strategist and a war hero in a galaxy where Humans and Zirans protect the genetically docile Vingin through a tripartite alliance. . After a twenty year war with the Tacherins the humans begin a military drawdown, dismantling their lethal weapons that won the war. But in the eye of a promised peace, discord in the alliance breeds treacherous intentions. Lev Gorlin is pulled out of military retirement to lead the human resistance in face of a more aggressive and violent enemy.

Ronald T. Jones delivers a knockout punch with this exciting tale of military might versus strategic cunning. Warriors of the Four Worlds reads like a Tom Clancy novel. Ronald has embodied the action, intrigue and excitement of Clancy’s Red Storm Rising and masterfully wrapped it in a believable science fiction setting. The combat scenes and the military tactics he describes are told like a combat veteran relaying a personal war story. The feelings are raw and the action is fast.

I highly recommend putting this on your “next book to read” list. Definitely five star material here.

This is available for Kindle, which is great, because you will definitely want to take this book with you and steal time to read it at every opportunity until you are done. Then you will want more.

Malcolm “Rage” Petteway

Author of Osguards: Guardians of the Universe
Owner, Rage Books Publishing LLC

Revenge - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Book Trailer

Everyone has a defining gift. For Michael Genesis, the First Osguard of the Universal Science, Security and Trade Association of Planets -- USSTAP, that gift is vision. Similarly, Billy Red, the street thug, murderer, pimp and drug dealer, that gift is ingenuity. When their paths cross as teenagers, Michael and Billy become embroiled in a rivalry that leads Michael to becoming the First Osguard. and Billy dying by his hands. However, eight years after the Tuit War and on the eve of the birth of a new USSTAP, where Michael planned to design a new universe and lay out a path for humanity to begin its journey to another level, he is attacked. During the attack, Michael is accidentally transported to another reality where USSTAP and the Osguards don't exist. Now Michael has to fight his way back to his reality or be trapped in a reality of living in an economically poor, crime and drug infested neighborhood, while being chased by his old enemy -- Billy Red.

... (more info)

Specter of War (Guardians of Destiny) Book Review

Fast, furious and action packed!


I ran across this author in one of my book clubs and was drawn to the title. Her subtitle was so close to my own, Osguards: Guardians of the Universe that I had to pick it up and read it. This is Angela Nicole Parker’s first foray into science fiction and she did an outstanding job.

The Specter of War is an action packed book about the newly crowned queen of the Maraudan Empire, Mursela Mornall exerting her power to bring her Empire back to its glory days before the great war two dikas ago (I assume dikas are similar to decades) against the Great Republic. Her ambition soon divides her people and she begins purging those who do not follow her. The House of Judi becomes a victim to her purge, leaving the young Dena Judi, to fend for herself.

Meanwhile in the Republic, the children of two of the Great War heroes are coming of age, Cadets Akeen and Connor Star and Kayla Dylan. They struggle for their place in the universe under the whispers of war. Meanwhile, Kayla’s brother Major Van Dylan is on a peace mission on the Maraudan home world when something goes horribly wrong. The specter of war looms over all as they fight their own fate, legacy, and prejudices among a universe of humans and non-humans.

This is a young adult military science fiction book in which Angela Nicole Parker does a masterful job of building an unknown universe and setting the reader in the middle. She has the right amount of suspense mixed with intrigue. Angela fills her characters with teenage angst about coming to age in an unknown universe injected with social bias and a benign sense of entitlement. The battles are told not with an eye for the gory, but an eye for the heart. You feel the characters fright, anger and sometimes betrayal, more than the punches, gun blast and explosions. This is rare and Angela has the gift.

From one military science fiction writer to another, I give Specter of War (Guardians of Destiny) five stars.

Malcolm Dylan Petteway,
Author, Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Dreamer's Perch: Meet Malcolm Petteway Author of Homecoming - Guard...

Dreamer's Perch: Meet Malcolm Petteway Author of Homecoming - Guard...: "For centuries the planets of Kulusk and Chaktun have battled in the heavens above Earth. In 1860, twin Chaktun princesses, Laurona and Nau..."

Armageddon - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Book Trailer

Check out the book trailer for the Osguards third book, Armageddon

LM Preston: How Phenomenal One Press Got Started

LM Preston: How Phenomenal One Press Got Started: "The owner of my small press is my husband. He’d been in sales like – forever, even got a degree in Marketing. When I started my writing en..."

LM Preston: Dust Off Your Pile of Unpub Works!

LM Preston: Dust Off Your Pile of Unpub Works!: "Do you have stuff you’ve written that you haven’t done anything with yet? Do you write that first draft and put it aside to run off and wo..."

Osguards Rule

Book Review On  Revelations - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

By

Ronald T. Jones, Author

Chronicles of the Liberator

In Osguard: Homecoming, the first book in a series of space adventures by Malcolm Dylan Petteway, we're introduced to an African American family descended from two slave sisters who came from a far off land...a land that happened to be on another planet called Chaktun. The sisters would survive the horrendous ordeal of American slavery and go on to found a vast interstellar alliance comprising sixty galaxies. The Osguards are the leaders of the Universal Science Security and Trade Association of Planets. This is the Star Wars' Empire on steroids. In fact Palpatine would have to think more than twice before even contemplating an attack on this multi-galaxy colossus.


We were also introduced to USSTAP's enemy, the Kulusk Empire, and its ambitious war mongering leader, Kie Ritchen. Battle lines were drawn in Book One and the two powers clashed in a war waged on many fronts, including Earth. In Osguards: Revelations, Malcolm's second installment, that war has taken a particularly deadly turn when Kie Ritchen launches a biological attack against USSTAP's capitol. The bioagent used in the attack threatens to wipe out USSTAP's command and control, leaving the organization wide open for annihilation at the hands of the Kulusks. Jaunita Genesis-Clark is the only Osguard not incapacitated by the agent. An antidote exists, but she must travel on a perilous journey to the very heart of the Kulusk Empire to obtain it. At the same time, she must deal with the murder of her young cousin on Earth and confront the estrangement of a jealous relative.

Malcolm switches seamlessly between Earth bound issues of violent crime on the streets of Shreveport, Louisiana and war and intrigue in far distant parts of the universe. The scope of this riveting tale is not limited to spatial. Malcolm takes us on a trip through time, back to the latter 19th century, 20 years after the ashes of the Civil War had settled. In a sustained flashback, we follow the heir to the Kulusk throne and his brother as they travel to Earth, sent by their father to eliminate the descendants of the Chaktun sisters. Here, Malcolm does a fantastic job of weaving science fiction and history, as he ties in the African American experience during post Reconstruction with the Kulusk brothers' murderous efforts to track down their quarry.

And then there is a 21st century U.S.president's unraveling attempt to contain the secret that is USSTAP. On top of that, USSTAP is faced with yet another threat...

There is a lot going on in Book Two. Malcolm has upped the ante and increased the stakes. Once again, the action is rapid and adrenaline-raising, the characters, rendered with fine strokes of depth, and the settings, wondrous. Another plus about Revelations, is its throwback appeal. It has a Golden Age science fiction quality that will definitely attract fans of that era as well the techno aspect that will draw in the Tom Clancy crowd. Osguards: Revelations is a must read. I fully expect Book Three to crank it up further.

Book Review on Tease by D.K. Gaston

Keith Gaston stretched his writing chops with this story and hit it out the park. Tease is about a mysterious man who sometimes works (off the books) for the government, when the government can't get the job done legally. This mysterious man goes by the name Shaw, and he's chasing a want-to-be world player, named D-Shroud, who stole three suitcase nukes. Now D-Shroud wants to sell them to the highest bidder. The problem is, Shaw has to get by a one woman hit squad, appropriately named Tease. She is sexy, dangerous and cunning...a combination that knocks Shaw for a loop. Warning: this book has graphic sex scenes that would make James Bond blush.


Tease is vivid, thrilling and exciting.

Book Review on Revenge - Osguards Guardians of the Universe

"World Building At Its Best!”

Everyone has a defining gift. For Michael Genesis, the First Osguard of the Universal Science, Security and Trade Association of Planets-USSTAP, that gift is vision. Just as Michael is being prepared to assume position as Chief Executive Osguard and President of the Universal Science, Security and Trade Association of Planets, a space storm causes havoc, sending him to an alternate universe. Similarly, Billy Red, a street thug, murderer, pimp and drug dealer, becomes intertwined with his world situation. When their paths had crossed as teenagers, Michael and Billy became bitter enemies. Billy Red carries his thirst for revenge to the end.

In this fourth entry, the author spins a complicated plot in which the main character must deal with political intrigue in the universe, as well as survive on Earth in a drug infested neighborhood. It seems that everyone is out to kill him, including Billy Red. Personally, I felt the author was at his best in military war strategies and space battles, and was a little distracted by the urban fantasy element in the adventure. But the story was well told, and kept my interest throughout. The Star Trek Prime Directive element didn’t escape me, either. I even got a kick out of the main character’s “escape phrase”.

There is one closure at the end concerning Earth, but I’m not sure if this is the final volume in the series, or if more stories are planned. I can certainly see possibilities for future novels in the series, but would like to see the author move away from the urban background on Earth, and give us a better look at the many worlds comprising his universe; the galaxies, planets, moons, and races that inhabit them.

Tom Johnson,
--Editor Fading Shadows

Rating:

5-Stars

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Get one or all and receive 10% off on your purchase. Visit Rage Bookstore for more details

Osguards:Guardians of the Universe is a gripping ride through time and space, detailing the horrors of antebellum south, the strife of the post reconstruction era, the grit of U.S. urban life at the turn of the century and ultimately the terror of an escalating war played out in the heavens above present day unsuspecting Earth--all surrounded by complex military and political stratagems for power. Osguards is a detailed space odyssey, framed in American History, peppered with intrigue, filled with adventure and coated with technical wizardry.

Rage On Science Fiction: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Rage...

Rage On Science Fiction: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Rage...: "Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blac..."

Do you think reading sci fi makes you a Geek?

Why don't you like science fiction? Is it because you think only Geeks enjoy science fiction. Or is it because you think it will turn you into a Nerd. Or is it simply because you think it is not cool and only the lonely, social outcasts follow science fiction. It is a common misconception that people who like science fiction are Geeks or Nerds.
This is not so. Science fiction is a misunderstood genre. Science Fiction is a complicated genre made up of many genres that tell love stories, adventures, mysteries, spy thrillers, and even comedies with imagination, innovation, technology and science. Science fiction stimulates the imagination with eye popping, jaw dropping scenes and plots that move a story along while dealing with the future, alternative timelines, space travel, aliens, time travel, dreams, wars, and even comic book superheroes.
Think of James Bond movies, Jason Bourne movies, Harry Potter, Avatar, Iron Man movies, Inception, X-Men movies, Transformers movies, I Am Number Four, Tron, Priest, Star Trek movies, Paul, Green Lantern, Thor, Cowboy vs. Aliens, Alien movies, Predator movies, The Adjustment Bureau, Hitchcock, Megamind, Superman movies, Batman movies, Species, Monsters vs. Aliens, Time Travelers Wife. The list is too exhausting to write, but you get my point. You've probably seen a science fiction movie and didn't realize it. Now think of your favorite T.V. Shows, Lost, 24, V, Walking Dead, The Event, Undercovers, Charmed, and Supernatural just to name a few.
Hopefully, you can see, science fiction is where man first dreamt of computers, flight, rocket ships, moon landings, cell phones, laptops, iPads, smart phones, Velcro, GPS, Radar, calculators, HDTV, microwaves. Face it, without science fiction or at least the imagination that science fiction stimulates, we would still be riding horses, sailing in wooden ships and hunting for our food.
So no…liking science fiction doesn't make you a Geek or a Nerd, it makes you exciting, stimulating and insightful. It fuels you as a soldier of the future.
Do you still think science fiction is only for the Geek or Nerd? Sound off; let me hear your voice.
Malcolm D. Petteway, Rage Books LLC

Rage On Science Fiction: Rage on Science Fiction Movies

Rage On Science Fiction: Rage on Science Fiction Movies: "Advertising a movie as science fiction seems to be a no-no in the industry today, even though most movies are technically science fiction. T..."

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Rage on the Movies

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.


If you are a fan of the Pirates movie, I say this one is one of the best…right next to the first movie. Jack is back!

Captain Jack Sparrow finds himself stranded in London in search of a ship. After saving his friend and first mate Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from the gallows, he searches for the person impersonating him. The fake Capt Sparrow is, gathering men for a voyage on a ship. His finds his former lover, Angelica (Penélope Cruz ), impersonating him. Angelica then kidnaps and ferries him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, commanded by Angelica's (maybe) father, Captain Blackbeard (Ian McShane). There aboard a ship full of enslaved pirates and comatose zombies, the adventure begins. Their quest is the fountain of youth. But they aren’t alone, a Spanish fleet and Capt Barbossa are also in search of the fountain of youth, although for different reasons.

The movie is filled with special effects; off-the-cuff humor; swashbuckling sword fights; explosion; and the requisite fantasy/horror that make the Pirates franchise such a hit with fans. The mermaids were a very nice touch, reminiscent of the walking dead and zombies of the earlier movies. Depp owns this movie. His screen presence is grand. Rush plays a very likable and convincing bad/good guy and Cruz’s character was an exciting addition to the cast.

A small love story plays out that I feel added nothing to the film and doesn’t really have a solid conclusion. McShane’s character was more bark than bite. McShane walked through his lines like a third year college student and did not elicit any emotion (fear or hate) from the audience. The rollercoaster ride was well over prior to McShane’s exit, because the audience really didn’t care what happened to him.

Overall, this is a great movie. I did not see it in 3-D, but I’m sure if you do, it will be well worth the money. The Pirates saga is back on track. I rate this movie 8 out of 10 stars--tied with the second Pirates movie.



Malcolm D. Petteway

Rage Books LLC

About Malcolm Petteway-fReado

Sci fi with soul check out the Osguards and find out About Malcolm Petteway-fReado

Rage on the Movies: Priest

A priest (Paul Bettany) disobeys church law to track down the vampires who kidnapped his niece.It is as simple as that, not complicated at all. The only complication with this movie was setting it up for the audience. It is an apocalyptic tale of man versus vampire. After the obligatory action opening scene to grab the audience's attention, a graphic animation plays out to set the scene. The animation is full of promise that the movie will be gory and blood-filled. The movie delivers on that promise. It is also jam packed with special effects and action sequences. However, the action sequences seem a bit forced and the special effects are reminiscent of the Matrix movies. The plot is somewhat rehashed. It is about a bruiting good guy simultaneously fighting against the establishment and the forces of evil. Along the way he picks up two sidekicks that offer nothing to the plot other than a distraction. This movie is a club sandwich of special effects layered between three slices of action. If you are looking for the excitement and thrill of Ironman or even Thor, you won't get it here. But if you like slaying vampires, fight scenes, explosions and stimulating visual effects, this is your movie. I rate it 3 stars out of 5…wait until it comes out on video

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It is the third generation and the fourth age of mankind. Earth has become an unwitting pawn in the Kulusk Empire's thirst for revenge against the Universal Science, Security and Trade Associations of Planets—USSTAP. Maxum Ritchen, the leader of the Kulusk Empire, has set into motion the destruction of USSTAP and with it the destruction of Earth. Michael David Genesis, the First Osguard, and his family are the leaders of USSTAP. He and his family are descendants of twin princesses from the planet Chaktun who fled their war ravaged world, escaped to Earth and lived in the antebellum South as slaves. USSTAP is the Osguards’ inheritance. They facilitate scientific advancement, assure universal security and promote fair trade amongst the sixty known galaxies. Michael and the other Osguards use diplomatic, economic and military tools of power to keep the peace. But like most peacekeeping organizations, there are always challenges. For Michael the challenges are the Kulusk – the dogmatic empire that has waged war with Chaktun for centuries; the Tuits – a warrior race bent on revenge; and the Moslecks – universal nomads terrorizing the universe. Can the Osguards save USSTAP…can they save themselves?


Buy Osguards: Guardians of the Universe. Available direct from Rage Books, or through Amazon.com. If you have an E-Reader, all available formats for E-Books are available here. Also available on-line at Borders, Books A Million and Barnes and Noble. Ask you local book dealer about Osguards. If they don't have it. They can get it.

Rage on the Movies: Thor

When the warrior Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard for his arrogance, he is sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), he learns some much-needed lessons, and his newfound strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth.


I really didn’t expect much from this movie. Frankly, I thought the superhero genre in the movies was fading after Iron Man II. But I must say this movie was a pleasant surprise. I am not much of a Marvel Comics Fan, so I knew little about Thor, which I think was an advantage. I watched the movie, learning as it played. It was full of adventure, special effects and humor. Chris Harmsworth did an excellent job bringing the Nordic god to life. The character’s arrogance was overpowering. So the audience loved it when Thor was taken down a notch or two by normal humans with their puny little gadgets. I never warmed up to Natalie Portman’s character. Jane Foster is one of those women that can give you a headache. She is so driven, to the point of stupid. Kate Dennings as Darcy Lewis was the real gem of the picture. Additionally, Tom Heddleston as Loki gave a sparkling performance. We see his transformation better than we see Thor’s transformation. The action was exciting, grand and worth watching in 3D. The storyline was good, but had dry spots.

For a superhero movie, I give it 4.5 stars.

Book Review on Armageddon - Osguards Guardians of the Universe

Armageddon
By Malcolm Dylan Petteway
ISBN #0984364528
Rage Books www.ragebooks.com/
328 Pages
Price: $15.50
Science Fiction

Rating: 4 & Half-Stars

“Entertaining novel with vivid imagery!”

With this third entry in the Osguards series, the Tuits invade the protected zone of the Universal Science, Security Trade Association of Planets (USSTAP) eliminating everything in their path with a weapon capable of destroying planets. They make their first strike, wiping out a solar system with five planets. Killing thirty-five billion people in less than ten minutes! The Guardians of The Universe find themselves outnumbered and faced by superior weapons!

The author, a retired AF officer, brings his knowledge of tactical weapons and strategic military background to the series in creating the universe of the Osguards: Guardians of The Universe. The story is well written, and the characters come to life. Battle scenes are fast and furious, with vivid descriptions. My main problem with the story was my own fault. I read the first two novels in the series years ago, and have read hundreds of SF books since, so my memory of the previous entries was foggy, the characters not as clear as they should have been. This is a series the reader needs to read in sequence, and not with a long lapse of time between each story. I also felt there was too much of the story taking place on Earth, when the action should have been kept in space. For instance, when the Tuits destroy the five-planet solar system with thirty-five billion inhabitants, the reader is at a wedding on Earth. True, we are learning more about the characters, and Earth does have a role in the story, but I felt the action is unnecessarily slowed down to lengthen the book. Being a military science fiction novel, especially of this length, it should have had more space battles and less inaction to keep the story moving. Still, the author spins an exciting tale, and the Osguards have a fascinating history, with an even more interesting future.

Although each book is a stand-alone novel, I highly suggest the reader start with the first novel in the series. These are thick volumes, and the price is right, so begin reading them today!
 
Tom Johnson, Editor

Fading Shadows Magazines

Rage Books May 2011 Book of the Month

Christina Nightbird Little Wolf Cesar is transcended more by her Haitian and Native American backgrounds rather than by her unusually unique name. Her two backgrounds are two cultures paralleled in the belief of the supernatural. She is haunted by consistent dreams compounded with strange and mysterious pains that are rooted in a tragic time in her life. There are two murders, possibly linked to one another, being investigated by Officer Castillo that may have implications of danger for Christina.


It all comes to a head when the person who is the source of the dreams and pains makes their way to claim Christina s life. She is protected by her loving mother, Claudia Little Wolf Cesar, who is of Haitian descent. Shilah Little Wolf, her uncle who is of Native American descent, juggles the tasks of getting revenge for his brother s murder and risking his life to protect his niece. The protection she gets from her family is also in combination with help from her late father, whom she s never met. Her best friend, Cecilia Cruz, treks on an adventure as Christina s life continues to hang in the balance.

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Book Review on Homecoming - Osguards Guardians of the Universe

A very imaginative book about a black family descended from an alien race who uses their special skills to protect the Earth from a coming galactic war. The book really takes off when it takes us back to the family origin among the horrors of American slavery. Homecoming is the first in a series consisting of 4 books.


Milton Davis,
Author

Revelations - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Be part of the experience. Watch this trailer and "Jump Start Your Imagination".
Revelations - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe is the second book in the Osguard Saga

Homecoming - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Homecoming - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe Book Trailer. Join Michael Genesis and the other Osguards as they lead USSTAP in protecting mankind.

April 2011 Book of the Month

Immortal: Second Edition
by Valjeanne Jeffers
$11.99

Her dreams are terrifying. In the year of our One 3075 Tundra has been at peace for 400 years. There is no racism, poverty or war. Karla is a young, Indigo woman working as a successful healer. Yet she is tormented by lucid and erotic dreams. Dreams in which she is Immortal. Two men emerge from these phantasms: the first a Copper Shape shifter and the other a demon more dead than alive. But when this creature appears in her apartment Karla realizes that they share a lust that may one day consume her. His will unlock a mystery. Joseph always dreamt of becoming an artist, a warrior...and a shape shifter. Now he's dreaming of a sorceress who commands that he leave his homeland. Together they will journey to the end of time. To a nightmarish world of revolution and magic. But will they save Tundra or perish in it's destruction?

Book Review on The Promise by D.K. Gaston

A crooked cop, Detective Roman Stefan promised his dying father that he'd do better and make him proud. Soon after, Roman is handed a no win murder case, the death of a prostitute who is the sister to a super star news anchor Hallie Warner. The police chief wants him to fail. His captain wants him to fail. His fellow cops want him to fail. And deep down inside, Roman wants to fail. But he is a man of his word and he promised his dying father, he will do better. Motivated by the beautiful and sexy Warner, who appears to be the only one who wants Roman to succeed, he pushes on. But appearances can be deceiving.


In the beginning of the book I wasn't sure if I would like Detective Roman. His character was the type of cop I quickly despise in other books. But his struggle to please his father and the crudeness of his character soon turned me into a cheerleader for the character. I was almost praying that Roman wouldn’t let me down as I read the book.

Once again, Keith Gaston has done spectacular job. This book is similar in nature to his other books, but different in context. It is full of suspense more than his normal action packed writing. But the D.K. conspiracy, twist and turns are still sprinkled delicately throughout the pages in a masterful way. Again, you think you know who did it, but you don’t.

I highly recommend that you read The Promise. It is more than a page turner, it is a workout book. It gets your heart pumping.



Malcolm Dylan Petteway
Rage Books Reading Club
http://www.ragebooks.blogspot.com/

Book review on the Darkest Hours by D.K. Gaston

Joseph Hooks is back and he is better than before. The exciting, but bruiting detective from Lost Hours is back. Now he’s divorced and free from his past. His latest client is the billionaire, Montgomery Webb. When Hooks visits Webb at his secluded stately mansion, he finds Webb half-naked and tied to a chair. Tortured near death, Webb whispers his dying words “La…Ta…Doll…Lost”. These words starts Hooks off on another adventure, which threatens his life and the lives of people around him.


Hooks along with his ex-partner Kool-Aid are the epitome of a buddy cop team, with one thing on the mind… ‘Find the killer, no matter what the cost.’ I have read almost all of D.K. Gaston’s books. I am truly a fan. Lost Hours brings back one of my favorite characters in the D.K. universe…Joseph Hooks. D.K. puts Joseph into challenging settings and spins intrigue and action that grabs you; while the story hypnotizes you. This is a must read.



Malcolm Dylan Petteway
Rage Books Reading Club
http://www.ragebooks.blogspot.com/

Book Review on The Friday House

D.K. Gaston stays in the world of science fiction with a character we first saw in XIII, Special Agent Jamaica Kurtz. In The Friday House, Agent Kurtz has recovered from the gunshot wound to the head, which she received in XIII, and has to cope with the loss of her partner. She returns from a six month medical leave and her first assignment is psychologically profile two dead terrorists, who were prominent and noted members of society and the U.S. government.




While she conducts the investigation, she realizes the gunshot wound has left her with clairvoyant abilities. She fights to interpret her visions as she delves in deeper into the case and picks apart the connections that the CIA and people associated with the White House desperately try to cover up.



D.K. Gaston does a masterful job of weaving intrigue, mystery, double-cross, murder, adventure and conspiracy into a well polished story. He uses misdirection and anomalies to keep the reader guessing. When you think you have the story figured out, D.K. hits you with more excitement to keep you guessing.



The Friday House by D.K. Gaston is a splendid read. He spins multiple characters into an old fashion “Who Done It’, while pushing the action and adventure similar to Tom Clancy. I love the plot. This is a fantastic book that keeps your interest from page one to the end. D.K. is a marvelous author and a very talented storyteller. I highly recommend this book for all readers of thrillers, conspiracy and mystery as well as to my science fiction followers.



Malcolm Dylan Petteway

Rage Books Reading Club
www.ragebooks.blogspot.com

Book Review on XIII by D.K. Gaston

Avery Hudson, a bounty hunter who works out of Los Angeles. Beelzy, a strange but funny bail bondsman, hires Avery to track down an actor (Jason Peters). What Avery deemed an easy assignment, quickly turns into an action packed thrill ride, leading him down the path of the supernatural and unexplained. Avery hooks up with a small town sheriff, Mary Jamison, who isn’t so small town. Together they explore the insane and fight against the unknown.


D.K. Gaston proves he has the right touch with XIII. He expertly weaves science fiction/fantasy with Murder, Mystery. Avery Hudson is a character of superhero proportions. D.K. pushes the envelope and squeezes every bit of action with an exciting plot, emotional characters and vivid settings. I highly recommend this book and all D.K. Gaston books.


Malcolm Dylan Petteway
Rage Books Reading Club
http://www.ragebooks.blogspot.com/

Book Review on Lost Hours by D.K. Gaston

Joseph Hooks is a private investigator with an unpleasant past. He was accused of killing his father on Father’s Day when he was 12 years old. He has no memory of that day or the events surrounding his father’s death. All he knows is he spent two years in a mental hospital for the crime. Twenty-three years later, on the verge of a divorce, coupled with his son being the same age he was when his father died; his mind becomes consumed with finding out the truth about his father’s death. As he investigates the murder, he opens up old wounds with his estrange siblings, deals with a less than cooperative Detroit police force and runs into some well connected people who don’t want the truth known.


D.K. Gaston’s Joseph Hooks is a powerful character. Hooks’ drive and determination reaches out of the pages and grabs the reader. The internal conflict to protect his loved ones, while uncovering the past highlights Hooks’ strength and compassion. Even though the book’s genre is listed as Murder, Mystery, Thriller; I know this book will appeal to science fiction fans. I recommend this book and I especially recommend D.K. Gaston. He is a super talented author.



Malcolm Dylan Petteway
Rage Books Reading Club

http://www.ragebooks.blogspot.com/

The Promise By D.K. Gaston

March Book of the Month

Price: $12.00

Detroit Police Homicide Detective, Sergeant Roman Stefan has one of the best arrest records on the force-he's also a dirty cop. Roman promises his ailing father that he will clean up his life and go straight. The problem is, Roman likes being dirty. As he deals with his promise, he is assigned to a 4-month old homicide investigation of a prostitute that no one is interested in. Compounding his trouble is the dead hooker's sister, Channel 3 News anchor Hallie Warner, who has placed pressure on the mayor's office to provide answers. As Roman and Hallie find clues of Ebony Warner's murder, they soon become targets of two ruthless killers who don't want the truth to be uncovered. In mortal danger and unable to rely on his dirty ways; will Roman Stefan be able to keep the promise he made to his father?

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Meji Book One By Milton John Davis

February 2011 Book of the Month

Meji Book One Book Description Change: On the Sesu grasslands of the continent of Uhuru, Inkosi Dingane is granted his wish. His Great Wife Shani bears him a son, and heir to his growing empire. But the ancestors have plans of their own. Shani bears him meji, twins boys considered an abomination among the Sesu but a blessing to Shani's people, the Mawena. Thus begins the story of two brothers destined to transform their world. One brother, Ndoro, fights for his place among the Sesu hoping to shed the stigma of abomination. The other, Obaseki, grows to a man among the Mawena, struggling with a gift that alienates him from his family. Both are forced to seek their destiny, travelling through teeming savanna, mysterious forests, haunted cliffs and torrid deserts, fulfilling a prophecy that changes them and their world forever.
Visit: Rage Book Club Book of the Month for more details and to purchase this book.

 

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FIGHTING FOR THE SMALL VOICE

Are you tired of the poor selection of speculative fiction books the traditional publishers are pushing. Many traditional publishing companies have settled into a rut. They market safe books that follow an aged formula that uses a checklist. This checklist is too rigid and inflexible and not visionary enough to recognize new voices…different voices, cutting down the ivory pillars holding up the old institutional thought. Today, most traditional authors write the same story, just with a twist, because the industry stifles imagination. Rage Books captures the reader's imagination, and challenges the industry. There is a quiet revolution taking place in the reading world. There is a new generation of readers, touched by advanced technology. Today, technological hunger, personal experience and raw attraction are what define this audience. You will be attracted to Rage Books because you are an avid reader who does relate to characters using advanced technology as they push through electrifying adventures.

Fighting for the Small Voice! Your opinion counts. Rage Books wants to use you as a revolutionary reader. By joining Rage Books Club you can be a voice. You can deliver choice and lend a hand in the revolution.

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