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.

Click Here to Get Book

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?

Visit: Rage Book Club for more detail or to purchase the book

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.

 

Rage Book Club

Rage Books is building a community of readers to participate in the business, through newsletters, advice, and reviews. Join us and help revolutionize the industry.

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.

As a member of Rage Books Club you will be given the opportunity to:

1. Suggest a book choice for the book of the month
2. Write a review on a speculative fiction book of your choice, and have that review appear on JOIN US NOW
   www.ragebooks.net
3. Start book discussion on Rage Books blog
4. Submit article to the quarterly Rage Books e-newsletter
5. Receive quarterly e-newsletter

I served in the United States Air Force for 20 years as an officer and flew over 3,000 hours in a B-52...300 of them in combat. I have the energy, drive, dedication and leadership skills to make Rage Books a force in redefining the business model and challenging the old guard's way of thinking. Rage Books can kick down the door and point the way in bringing the genre back to its roots…exploration of the human imagination.



Rage Books is the new voice of speculative fiction. Jump Start Your Imagination and make a difference. Become a member of Rage Books Club.

SUGGESTED READINGS

BOOK OF THE MONTH

 

<><>

Tunnel through Space By Tom Johnson

January Book of the Month

Price: $16.50

In this futuristic tale, a giant cargo ship transporting ore from the outer planets to Earth is sucked into a Black Hole, spitting ship and crew out somewhere near the Big Bang at the beginning of time. Crashing on a primitive planet in a binary star system, Captain Lamont Rogers and Lieutenant Marsha Tomlison survive, but are separated by hundreds of miles, with fierce jungle beasts and savage peoples in a land of thick jungle between them.

Attempting to reunite, the main characters must face dangers at every turn, and during their trials encounter both friend and foes. Captain Rogers, nicknamed the Preacher, has been a Godly man all his life, and does not believe in taking another's life, but now he must learn to kill to protect his friends and those he loves. Lieutenant Tomlison is the opposite of her commander. Rough and untamed, she was constantly in trouble, usually involved in drunken brawls with the men she met in off-world saloons. Nor was she averse to sleeping with one she liked. Now, lost in the jungles of this savage land, she must humble herself as a primitive people rely on her for protection and leadership.

The author creates a world peopled with fascinating characters and animals, and spins a tale that keeps the reader turning pages. I was drawn into the action from the time we first meet these characters until the final page, and hope there is a sequel in the works. Tom Johnson does not rely on sex and ugly language to tell the story, and I was reminded of the storytellers that first brought us great jungle adventures, like Edgar Rice Burroughs.


Terry Roberts, Reviewer
SF/Etc At A Glance
Visit: Rage Book Club for details and to purchase

The Friday House by D. K. Gaston

Check out Rage Book Club for details and how to purchase

December 2010 Book of the Month

Price: $15.00
Without warning or explantion, prominent Americans are carrying out horrendous crimes. FBI Special Agent Jamaica Kurtz is assigned to profile these assassins. All the killers have one thing in common, the Friday House Orphanage. What secrets does this institution hold and will Kurtz find the truth in time to stop more attacks?

The Bialien Trilogy: Rise of the Bialiensapien: Human Evolved (Volume 1) by Vlane Carter

November 2010 Book of the Month

A New Sci-fi, Space, Action, Adventure and Romance novel. Bialien - Where fiction, science, religion and technology collide. Some of the topics bialien covers are: Dark energy, dark matter, exotic matter, nanotechnology, future green energy saving technologies, plasma fusion, string theory, quantum mechanics, future relationships, space exploring, UFO theories, future government weapons, gravity manipulating and human body evolving. Evolve your Imagination to the Bialien trilogy.

Check it out HERE

Hug a Loved One

I'm going to take space on my blog to highlight an epidemic…Suicide. Unfortunately, this epidemic has peripherally touched my life twice in the last two months. A former co-worker died last month and an 11^th grade teenage daughter of a friend died this week. Now I don't know the circumstances behind any of these deaths and I will not speculate. But their tragic deaths made me stop and think. Now, I'm no doctor or psychiatrist, but it seems to me depression is not always the root cause. Life's daily pressures seem to be greater today than ever. It may be because I'm older, but it's true.

Responsibility of dealing with rent, mortgage, bills, medical, college tuition, job change, job loss, marriage, divorce and a whole host of other stressors, in a society where civility is a casualty of war and self-righteous indignation is ruler, can take its toll on the most level-headed person. These stressors may cause one to think they are better off not living, that they cannot ever get in front of the wave.

So my answer to combat this is to hug a loved one – not for them—but for you. Don't talk, don't complain – just hug someone. Hold them tight and let the world's stressors melt away for that one moment. Quiet appreciation can fuel the soul and feed the heart.

Then when you are finished hugging them, do me a favor, be civil to strangers. Don't rant about things like you are the master of the universe…listen…debate…talk. Because no human is perfect or has all the answers. So stop the self-righteous indignation. Treat others as you would have them treat you. You may save someone from making that fatal decision. You may even save yourself.

 

Just one man's opinion

Flying Death – The Vietnam Experience by Samuel K. Beamon

I will take a step back from my usual genre of interest-speculative fiction, and review the memoir "Flying Death- The Vietnam Experience" by Samuel K. Beamon. The author is a family friend, who has written an exceptional book about his experiences as a Marine in Vietnam. Samuel K. Beamon writes about joining the Marines, boot camp, his training as a helicopter mechanic and his combat experiences in Vietnam. He was a helicopter HMM-164 Crew Chief, responsible for the safety of the crew with a wrench or with a gun…sometimes both. One minute he is tinkering with the engines, hydraulics and cables to make sure the helicopter is flying smoothly and the next minute he is manning the machine guns spraying a path of death and destruction in a hot landing zone for the pilots to land.
This is not a typical "I went to war, I saw the bad guys, I did some bad things, now I'm a better person" memoir. Nor is it a how I applied new strategies of war type of memoir. No, it's better than that. It is a deep, soulful look at a proud Marine doing his job for the love of his country. Sam beautifully walks the reader through his emotions from the time he decided to join the Marines until he left the Marines, capped with memorable highlights from his squadron's reunion in Washington DC. You can feel the strings tugging at your heart when Sam describes the death of friends and colleagues. You understand the excitement and pride he felt about being a Marine, fighting for his country that he loves so much. You experience the fear and adrenaline associated with combat. But you also catch the anger pounding in your chest as you read about the disservice and indignity Sam suffers through just to be a good Marine.
War is tough, but for a teenager straight out of high school, spending 18 months at the height of the Vietnam War must have been hell. As a B-52 crewmember, I take my hat off to Sam Beamon and all the Vietnam Vets. Your blood and sacrifice paved the way for me and others, and I thank you sir.
I highly recommend this book as a must read, not only for the military buff or the war enthusiast; but for those looking for a story on how the human spirit can triumph over the most extreme obstacles.


Malcolm "RAGE" Petteway, Author
Owner, Rage Books LLC
www.ragebooks.net

The Antagonist in Science Fiction

I am a fan of science fiction. I wouldn't go as far as to say I am a fanatical fan; but I am a fan. Lately, I noticed that science fiction plots are becoming a little bit too familiar—especially when it comes to the antagonist.

It seems that the antagonist is usually one of or a compilation of the following:

1. Power Hungry, Corrupt Politician/Government Leader, planning on world, galactic or universal domination. I must admit, this person is intriguing and presents multiple facets to the storyline. But in the end, it is all about power, getting more of it, keeping it, or taking it away from someone else. This character is probably the most overused antagonist in literature and visual arts. This character is usually pitted against the protagonist in a good vs. evil battle.
   
2. Arrogant Military Leader. This character is probably the second most overused antagonist in literature and visual arts. This character deems everything they can't control, use or order around a threat, and then they want to destroy it. This character is usually pitted against the protagonist in a life and death battle.
   
3. Delusional Scientist: This character wants to know all there is about life, the universe and what makes it tick, and then this character wants to recreate it—usually in their own image. This character is so psychotic that they don't care about or so driven that they don't see the errors of their ways.
   
4. Greedy businessman: This character is motivated by wealth…accumulating at all cost, no matter what. This person's moral compass is broken. This character is a true blend of the first three. This person is evil, untrusting and psychotic. Add the broken moral compass and you get things like the economic down turn we are experiencing today.
   

The challenge for today's writer is to be fresh and build new adversarial relationships not seen before, or at least not seen often. Today's writer must create a perfect balance between the antagonist and the protagonist. A fantastic plot would have the reader feeling sympathetic for the antagonist. The reader should be able to understand the antagonist without condoning the characters action. At the same time the writer must get the reader to cheer on the protagonist to do the right thing, while scolding the character for doing something stupid. In other words, the antagonist can't be a devil and the protagonist can't be a saint. Demons should ride inside the main character and angels should haunt the bad guys.

Have you read any new and interesting antagonist lately? Writers, have you created an adversarial relationship different than the norm? Please hit the blog and share your thoughts.

I will discuss this and other topics at my book signing for the Osguards: Guardians of the Universe, this Saturday at Borders Bookstore from 1 to 3 PM. Discussion to follow: http://prlog.org/10814933

 

MALCOLM "RAGE" PETTEWAY

RAGE BOOKS LLC

WWW.RAGEBOOKS.NET