Trail of The Bat Beasts

Fans of pulp heroes like The Shadow, The Spider, The Black Bat and The Avenger will adore this new pulp magazine inspired series!

Trail of The Bat Beasts (New Pulp)

By Darryle Purcell

Independent Publishing Platform

ASIN # B077GK1XP4

Price $1.99

119 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

Two people in industry are tricked and imprisoned in a hidden stockade on the Amazon River. Industrialist Ralph Thorn and the voodoo priestess, Ayida Patel fall in love, become lovers, and under her training he learns the ability to control men’s minds. They eventually escape, but on the river in a fast moving boat, Ayida is hit by a native’s poisoned dart and falls into the river where a school of piranhas attack her. Unable to help, Thorn’s boat is pulled on downstream. When he returns to California he uses his training to become The Man of The Mist to fight crime.

Thomas Walker, the News Tribune political cartoonist, is hated by the mob and political powers alike, and as he leaves the newspaper one day he is attacked by a flying bat beast and killed in front of a newsstand run by a 12-year-old boy. When Ralph Thorn and his secretary learn of the murder, they feel the boy’s life may be threatened and take him to Thorn’s apartment. While they are away, the bat beast kidnaps the boy, and now The Man of The Mist must find him and bring justice to the criminals.

Overall, this was a good plot, and I really loved the interior art in the book. The criminal behind the case was a little too easy to figure out, but that was okay. The author also writes a lot of westerns in the format of serials and B-westerns, and these get a lot of play in this story, including the old Miracle Studio used in those stories. Although the author compares his character to The Shadow and other old pulp heroes, the closest I can see in the resemblance might be the three 1946 Shadow movies starring Kane Richmond and Barbara Read, from Monogram Pictures, which were more comedy than drama. And for me, there was a little too much comedy in what should have been more drama in this story to really appeal to me. But I think new pulp readers will enjoy it. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA

Trinity Series Mixture

This Trinity Series Mixture compilation novel is a hard reboot of the original first three novels in the Pseudoverse. Reedited and remastered in HD, these one-of-a-kind science fiction/horror novels are sure to entertain you until the very end. Enjoy!

Trinity Series Mixture (SF)

By CG Blade

Pseudosynth Press

ISBN 978-1520278735

Price $19.99 (Paperback)

Price $4.99 (Kindle)

719 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

The first three novels in the Pseudoverse, COBALT, CRIMSON, and EMERALD, are included in this huge volume. The three stories give the readers a clear idea about what the series is about - Artificial intelligence that’s reached singularity. In the first novel we are introduced to Cobalt, Lieutenant Petra Kayden Dace (PKD), she is our Captain America of the future. Petra returns in CRIMSON, and this time she’s after the evil personage known as Crimson. With EMERALD we’re introduced to my favorite new character, Xanthe Thirty-Three, a bounty hunter type who is after more evil, the deadly Twins. She is pure bad, and I liked her.

Readers can read my individual review for each novel on Amazon, but for this trinity I’m leaving a short review, as I think many readers will want this version. The author has a background in AI, and his knowledge comes through as he writes these science fiction adventures. However, I must add a warning: for those offended by vulgar language and scenes, these novels are highly laced with both profanity and sexual situations. In the third novel a five-year old child uses language that will turn many off. But for those not offended, the author’s knowledge and writing ability will keep you turning the pages. AI is the science in science fiction, and CG Blade is the storyteller that brings it all home. My rating is for the science involved in this groundbreaking series. Highly recommended for the science fiction fan.

Tom Johnson

Author of WORLDS OF TOMORROW

In The Wrong Lifetime

In the wrong lifetime is the second book in the Scarlett & Mason series. A continuation following 'Discovering Witchetty Waters.' An exciting fantasy that will hook many readers including children! Scarlett and Mason Beckett live at Waters End, Witchetty Waters, part of a group of seven islands. From the present and the past many strange beings are sent to aid them. Enemies are all around them, in the present, in the past, in other realms. They are the chosen ones, the whole shape of the future depends on them. Strange things are happening to the 9- year- old boy and 14- year- girl. The dangerous Dark-side Knights are close by. Even closer is the mad Satyr. Trapped 600 years in the past, what are they to do? The Head Warlock and Wizard cannot help them. Now they are in deep trouble. Having unwittingly used an unprotected and unprepared portal to The Middle Ages it has now closed on them. There is no way home.

In The Wrong Lifetime (Juvenile Fantasy)

By Trisha J. Kelly

Independent Publishing Platform

ISBN #978-1520944227

Price $9.98 (Paperback)

Price $2.99 (Kindle)

228 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“A Fun Read”

When we left Scarlett and Mason in the first book, they were lost in the year 1379 after accidentally closing the time portal before it had been completely activated. Now they must figure a way of getting back home and carrying out more tasks to set the future on the right track. In this latest adventure we’re introduced to several new characters, as well as reunited with many of the ones from book one. The mad satyr – a man with a horse’s tail is one of the new characters, as is Sorcha the Great Sorcerer, which we will see more of in future volumes, I’m sure. After each new task, a curse is lifted on one of the islands, and the future looks better. So far there are six volumes in this series, so there are many more curses yet to be lifted, so stick around for the fun.

This was another fun read, with our youngsters discovering new adventures, friends, and adversaries. Children and adults will find this fantasy series a lot of fun. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THREE GO BACK

Crop Circles In The Field

Crop Circles In The Field (Non-fiction)

By Linda Pendleton

Smashwords Edition

ISBN #978-1370303097

Free On Smashwords

136 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

Besides Crop Circles, the author covers UFO sightings and abductions, aliens and other paranormal subjects. Including New Age subjects as channeling aliens and other so-called masters from who knows where. I had no interest in the paranormal, especially channeling other beings, but the author reports on UFO sightings, and other investigators like John E. Mack and Stanton Friedman, and the Phoenix Lights in 1997. At the end of the book is a long detailed chapter on The United States And Space, which researchers and the civilian populace should all read. It quite well details the length to which our government goes to classify – and keep secret -  everything beyond the people’s availability to access. We are a government run by the people, yet it’s us, the people, who are kept in the dark about what our government does. There are a lot of good parts to this book, and well worth reading.

Tom Johnson

Author of THESE ALIEN SKIES

Catalyst

The first in 'The Avenging Cat' series Catalyst, a person that precipitates events. That's Catherine Vibrissae. Orphan. Chemist. Model. Avenging Cat. She seeks revenge against Loup Malefice, the man responsible for the takeover of her father's company. An accomplished climber, Cat is not averse to breaking and entering to confound her enemies. Ranging from south of England to the north-east, Wales and Barcelona, Cat's quest for vengeance is implacable. But with the NCA hot on her tail, can she escape the clutches of sinister Zabala and whip-wielding Profesora Quesada?

Catalyst (Mystery/Adventure)

By Nik Morton

Crooked Cat Publishing

ISBN 978-1910510148

Price $6.72 (paperback)

Price $0.99 (Kindle)

Rating 4-Stars

Cat Vibrissae is trying to revenge the death of her father. Changing her name and working as a model, on off times, she’s investigating Loup Malefice, the empire head of Cerberus Worldwide. Along the way she meets Rick Barnes, a Ceberus lawyer who may be trying to bring Malefice down himself. Together they get into many dangerous situations, and fall into traps that almost lead to their deaths, but miraculously they survive.  Cat is the adventurous one, trained in martial arts, mountain climbing, archery, and other things. We even see her climb a forty-story building to break into a window.

There is lots of action, and I loved the character, the plot, and the story telling. My only gripe with the story is that it is a continuing plot and story line. The bad guys escape at the end, so the good guys have to chase them all over again in the next novel. Personally, I think this is okay for television, but when I read a novel, I want the story to come to a complete conclusion at the end, with the bad guys getting what’s coming to them. I don’t want to wait for another novel, or a series of novels. But I highly recommend this book for mystery and adventure lovers; I think you’ll like it. I did, except for the end that didn’t happen.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA