The Two Sisters of Borneo

The Two Sisters of Borneo (International Intrigue)

By Ian Hamilton

House of Anansi Pr

ISBN #978-1770892446

Price $24.95

336 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Smooth Writing.”

Ava Lee #6: “The Two Sisters of Borneo” by Ian Hamilton. While Ava is staying in Hong Kong caring for an ailing Uncle, she teams up with her sister-in-law Amanda Lee, and May Ling her close friend. With Uncle going to Shanghai with Sunny, Ava decides to the Netherlands to check on a situation facing their business while May Ling and Amanda head for Borneo to check on the problem there. The situation heats up when Amanda and one of the Borneo sisters are injured in an attack that may be the result of the problem they are investigating. Ava flies to Borneo to find the attackers, and contacts the head of the gangsters to buy the information, but she is taken prisoner, and the gangsters want a ransom. This brings trouble from Shanghai, and Uncle dies during his concern for Ava. And this move will eventually bring a new leader to the Triads, a man taking the seat of power once held by Uncle. This was another fantastic novel in the Ava Lee series. Even the funeral of Uncle is a worldwide event, as the Triads come to pay their respect to him and acknowledge Ava.

Tom Johnson

Author of CARNIVAL OF DEATH

In The Shadow of Death

A backwater system in the Deklan Oligarchy, the Four Suns hides a sinister plot to destabilize the Serrll Combine government. An Envoy is sent to uncover the scheme before the Serrll explodes into factional warfare. Having ‘volunteered’ as a military aide to the Envoy, Second Scout Terrllss-rr uncovers a link between slavery and local government’s plans to cede the Four Suns. That knowledge marks him for death. Fleeing, his survival blister crashes on Anar’on, the fabled world of the Wanderer nomads. Terr is found in the deep desert, lost, without memory, without a past. To restore himself, Terr undergoes training in the Discipline. Facing the god of Death, he receives more than he bargained for.

In The Shadow of Death (SF Political Thriller)

By Stefan Vucak

Independent Publishing Platform

ASIN # B00BRY8186

Price $3.00

288 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

“Fantastic World Building.”

Second Scout Terr is relieved of command of an M-3 ship, and suddenly assigned to an envoy looking into slavery on Elexi.  Unfortunately, there is more going on than slavery, and much of it involves politics. Terr is almost killed, and must face the god of Death.

This was a very interesting piece of work by a master storyteller who has built a universe as fascinating as STAR WARS or STAR TREK.  There are interesting characters, and plenty of action, but my main problem with the story is the long drawn out politics that fuel the story as well as the action. Because of politics, it left me often confused and trying to keep everything straight in my mind, causing the pace to slow for me.  The author is exceedingly good with creating political systems, and this is to his credit. But as a reader that prefers more action, and less politics in a story, it just wasn’t for me. That should not stop readers from buying this book. It is well crafted, and the writing is good. I highly recommend it to science fiction readers who like political intrigue in their reads.

Tom Johnson

Author of WORLDS OF TOMORROW

Behind The Mask Volume 4

Behind The Mask Volume 4 by Tom Johnson is now available. Published by FADING SHADOWS. Cover & Title Design by Tom TV Powers. The master crime fighter, Secret Agent X, is called back to duty when an overseas agent warns of an unknown deadly attack aimed at America! But even the unconquerable “X” is not prepared for the deadly menace that has been brought to our shores under cover of darkness. Will the Intrepid Fighter be in time to save his beloved, Betty Dale, when she falls into the den of …Horror’s monsters from hell!

The Lone Eagle must penetrate German skies to rescue two friends, and complete his latest mission, Horror’s monsters from hell. Perhaps the strangest case in his career, he is destined to meet an old enemy from World War 1, as well as face a new danger. A danger that means disaster to America and the Alies, should the German scientists succeed in their new experiments. Can even this master Ace of the skies win through, to bring victory to the Alies?

A mystifying murder mystery ensnares the famous criminologist and sharpshooter, Colonel Jeremiah Custer when his team encounter a young boy accused of mayhem. The lad cannot deny the charges for he can neither hear nor speak. The scientific brain of the greatest man-hunter is put to task as he attempts to unravel this new crime!

When murder strikes the Museum of Natural History, Doc Clarke dons the red velvet mask that sends fear into all the underworld, the Crimson Mask nemesis of all crimedom, but this time he is faced by another creature in a mask, Anubis, the Egyptian god of the Dead! Will he succeed, or become another walking corpse, doing the bidding of an evil master of the dark netherworld?

What did the miniature coffins signify? When men of great wealth and industry begin receiving these tiny replicas of crimson caskets, their days of life are numbered. Who is the fiend behind the murders? Young millionaire playboy, Jimmy Gilmore wants to know, and the dreaded Mr. Death goes in search for coffins of death! $2.99 from Amazon Kindle, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y2HZQ7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491428582&sr=1-1&keywords=Behind+The+Mask+Volume+4+by+Tom+Johnson

Writers of The Future Volume 33

The Best New Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: 28 Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators Accompanied by Anne McCaffrey, Robert J. Sawyer, Larry Elmore, Todd McCaffrey, Bob Eggleton.

Writers of The Future Volume 33 (SF)

By Various Authors & Artists

Galaxy Press

ISBN #978-1619866297

Price $10.12

400 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Some of The Best New SF This Year.”

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of The Future continues to bring new authors and artists to the field in their many contests over the years. This current issue is no exception. The cover is by Larry Elmore, illustrating the story, The Dragon Killer’s Daughter. It also contains stories by contest winners, as well as old pros, while introducing new artists to the genre. Each story is different, while the writing is topnotch, and the story telling keeps the reader turning the page. 12 winning writers and two published finalist are included, as are 12 winning artists. Not a better SF anthology will be found this year. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THESE ALIEN SKIES

The Red Pole of Macau

In Ian Hamilton's The Red Pole of Macau, family ties are stressed to the limit when intrepid forensic accountant Ava Lee must rescue her half brother, Michael, and his business partner, Simon, from a disastrous multimillion-dollar real-estate deal in Macau. When the developers turn out to be gangsters, Michael and Simon are threatened with bankruptcy and much worse. Ava struggles to salvage the deal and her family's money, but then Simon is kidnapped, and the rules of the game abruptly change.

Determined to keep her mentor, Uncle, out of the affair, Ava is forced to turn to a former client, the cunning and seductive May Ling Wong, for help. With time running out, Ava must use all her skills to outwit the gangsters, rescue Simon, and save her family's future.

The Red Pole of Macau (Thriller)

An Ava Lee Novel #4

By Ian Hamilton

Picador

ISBN #978-1250032317

Price $15.00

336 Pages

Rating 5-stars

“Smooth Writing.”

Lok, once a Red Pole of the Triad, brought Ava’s half brother, Michael Lee and his partner Simon, into a land scam. Lok won’t return the money, so Ava must bring Lok and his men down the hard way. That means following the money, and calling in some favors where needed, then invading a tightly secured compound against well-armed gangsters before it’s all over.

This was another well-written novel featuring the forensic accountant trained in bak mei martial arts.  The writing is smooth, the plot deep and twisting, and the characters three-dimensional. Highly recommended for action lovers.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA