The Experiencers

Assassin Michael Valiant deals death without question on the orders of the Agency. He knows it’s all in the name of duty and the fight against terror, particularly at a time when the earth is as close as it’s ever been to self-destructing.
But Michael questions his agency's motives when he's ordered to silence a group of UFO enthusiasts who look less like terrorists than they do housewives and nerds. His attempts to uncover the truth arouse the suspicions of his partner and boss with tragic consequences. Michael finds himself running for his life and dragging his intended target along with him.
Can he save them both, or will the Agency and the aliens find them first? 
A new age science fiction thriller that delves into existing UFO and doomsday weaponry conspiracy theories, The Experiencers keeps readers riveted with non-stop action while the characters struggle to control destinies that may have been determined lifetimes ago.

The Experiencers (SF)

“The Valiant Chronicles #1”

By Val Tobin

Independent Publishing Platform

ISBN #978-0992093310

Price $9.99 (paperback)

Price $0.99 (Kindle)

238 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Kept Me Turning The Pages”

Michael Valiant works as an assassin for a secret government agency called Extraterrestrial Alliance Project (ETAP), with his partner Gerry Muniz. The agency is monitoring and attacking UFO groups that are too vocal about their sightings. Michael is becoming suspicious about the reason people are being eliminated. Thinking to keep him straight the agency decides to kill Michael’s wife to bring him back in line, making her death look like an accident, but when he discovers the truth he turns from them. Going after Carolyn Fairchild, an abductee, Michael kills his partner and takes Carolyn away from the agency’s clutches. But the aliens have her tagged, and unless they can find a way to remove the tracking device, they can pick her up anytime anyplace. Hearing of a rebel alien group, they head for the camp, hoping to find help, but before they arrive the agency’s military has attacked and destroyed the camp. And now the aliens have abducted Carolyn again.

This was a well written, action-packed novel more resembling a men’s action novel, but with the addition of an alien and paranormal background. We don’t actually see aliens until the end of the story, and thankfully some of the rebel aliens are still alive. I don’t believe in New Age, and a lot of paranormal stuff, but this fiction novel certainly kept my interest. Carolyn has future vision, as well as remote viewing ability, and can see and speak with the dead. So there is a lot of excitement in this yarn, and I was unable to put the book down. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE ALIEN SKIES.

Discovering Witchetty Waters

Discovering Witchetty Waters is an exciting children's fantasy story which will keep you gripped from the outset (regardless of whether you're a child or not!) When Scarlett and Mason leave their humdrum Norfolk lives and move to an island off the Kentish Coast with their parents, their world is turned upside down. Their new home at Waters End on Witchetty Waters is just about as exciting, scary and as far away from 'normal' as it can get. Strangers gift them skull rings with magical powers, spell books are dusted off, and a weird axeman/forest dweller seems intent on scaring the living daylights out of the unwitting family. Scarlett, a 13 year old bookworm, and Mason her 9 year old brother, whose favourite hobby is to play practical jokes on everyone, are about to discover the real reason they have moved to Waters End. And it's all to do with an ancient quest which dates back to the 14th century. Of course, they can't do it alone, and helpful or otherwise, there is a whole host of magical, weird and wonderful creatures, fairies, goblins, sprites, witches and wizards to impact on their rollercoaster adventure at every turn. Can this young pair lift the ancient curse and right the wrong from Medieval Times? Will they follow orders or face being trapped in an alternative 14th century forever.

 Discovering Witchetty Waters is an exciting children's fantasy story which will keep you gripped from the outset (regardless of whether you're a child or not!) When Scarlett and Mason leave their humdrum Norfolk lives and move to an island off the Kentish Coast with their parents, their world is turned upside down. Their new home at Waters End on Witchetty Waters is just about as exciting, scary and as far away from 'normal' as it can get. Strangers gift them skull rings with magical powers, spell books are dusted off, and a weird axeman/forest dweller seems intent on scaring the living daylights out of the unwitting family. Scarlett, a 13 year old bookworm, and Mason her 9 year old brother, whose favourite hobby is to play practical jokes on everyone, are about to discover the real reason they have moved to Waters End. And it's all to do with an ancient quest which dates back to the 14th century. Of course, they can't do it alone, and helpful or otherwise, there is a whole host of magical, weird and wonderful creatures, fairies, goblins, sprites, witches and wizards to impact on their rollercoaster adventure at every turn. Can this young pair lift the ancient curse and right the wrong from Medieval Times? Will they follow orders or face being trapped in an alternative 14th century forever.

Discovering Witchetty Waters (Juvenile/Fantasy)

By Trisha J. Kelly

Independent Publishing Platform

ISBN #978-1544048642

Price $10.18 (Paperback)

Price $2.99 (Kindle)

240 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

It’s time for Percy Tatterhill to retire and close his shop, putting Tom Beckett out of a job. But Percy has an offer for Tom and his family, move from Norfolk to Waters End and run the island for him. This sounds better than being out of a job, so off they go to Kentish Coast and the islands. 13-year old Scarlett and her 9-year old brother, Mason looks for a more interesting life and accept the move easily, not knowing what’s in store for them. For since the 1400s, magicians, wizards, and warlocks have been awaiting the arrival of special children to change history, and Scarlett and Mason are the chosen ones.

There are deeper problems than appear on the surface. Treasure has been hidden for 600 years but protected by the wizards, now the chosen ones must change the course of history and use that treasure for an orphanage on one of the islands, and a space ship from the Andromeda Galaxy dropped a preliminary invasion craft into our ocean near the islands 600 years ago, and it’s supposed to prepare the way for the aliens. This story covers the first task while the second book will cover the second task.

This was a fun little fantasy, reminding me of Disney’s animated Fairy Tales we’ve seen over the years, as well as some of the old fairy tales our mothers read to us when we were children. Young people will certainly enjoy the book, as will most adults. I know I did. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THREE GO BACK

The Imam of Tawi-Tawi

Ava has spent two nights luxuriating in a hotel in Yunnan Province with the actress Pang Fai, with whom she has begun a secret relationship. She receives an urgent phone call from Chang Wang, the right hand to the billionaire Tommy Ordonez and one of Uncle’s oldest friends. Years ago, Ava and Uncle helped Tommy recover $50 million in a land swindle.

Uncle Chang asks Ava to fly to Manila to meet with his friend, Senator Miguel Ramirez. Ramirez asks Ava to investigate a college in Tawi-Tawi, an island province in the Philippines, which he suspects is training terrorists. Ava’s investigation leads to a partnership with a CIA agent, and together they attempt to stop an international plot, horrific in size and scope, only to have it turn on them. Ava’s judgment and morals — which Uncle helped her forge — are tested like never before.

The Imam of Tawi-Tawi (International Intrigue)

By Ian Hamilton

Spiderline

ISBN #978-1487002749

Price $10.97 (Paperback)

Price $9.99 (Kindle)

400 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

Uncle Chang Wang calls Ava asking for a favor. A business he and Tommy Ordonez are in with Senator Ramirez in the Philippines are having trouble in Tawi-Tawi, an area heavy populated with Muslims, and the senator feels the Zagat college is training young men for terrorism. The senator connects Ava with a member of the Muslim Brotherhood who will work with her in uncovering the truth. But now that she is no longer in the old business, she no longer has all of her old contacts to access banks. She’s forced to recruit a CIA agent to help here, and this brings American power down on her. She must see the situation through to the end, no matter what the outcome, and her life might even be at stake

I pre-ordered this book, as the synopsis led me to think this would an action-packed adventure with Ava Lee and a CIA agent against a terrorist organization. The writing was still smooth, and the characters interesting, and Ava was very proficient, but I was disappointed in the lack of action. And the Muslims all turned out to be good guys, while the Americans were evil. There is a really big twist at the end, which was nice, but not very logical. The book is called the Triad Years, but this does not include the Triads, though Ava does talk to Xu on the telephone once, so it’s hardly a Triad novel. This is basically Ava Lee and the CIA. Personally, I hope the author brings in more action, if he wants to keep readers following the Ava Lee sagas. She is better than this book shows, in my opinion.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA

The Velvet Wasp

Noted author H. David Blalock enters the world of New Pulp and masked heroes with THE VELVET WASP, a brand new collection of short stories featuring his own original Pulp Heroine! A nightclub entertainer named Adele Fornost has been found dead, an apparent suicide. Her friend, another entertainer named Diane Green, is convinced that she was murdered and that the Outlander Mob is behind it. Known for racketeering, prostitution, and money laundering, the Outlanders are run by a man known only as Sir. Diane is unable to convince the police to take on the case and decides to take matters into her own hands. Although she is able to get the goods on the Oultlanders, she has to fake her own death to do it. Thus, Diane Green dies, but the Velvet Wasp is born to take flight in four adventures, courtesy of H. David Blalock and Pro Se Productions.

The Velvet Wasp (New Pulp Fiction)

By H. David Blalock

Pro Se Press

ISBN #978-1979273268

Price $14.99 (Paperback)

Price $2.99 (Kindle)

159 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

There are four stories in this volume, running from 1927 to 1934: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting; Stinging Nettle Tea; The Sting of The Saboteur; and The Sting of The Lash. In the first story Diane Green is singing at the Angel Club in Olympus City under the stage name of Charlene. Her roommate is murdered and Diane finds diamonds hidden in Adele’s powder compact, she discovers that the local mob, The Outlanders are behind the murder. With the aide of her boss, the owner of the Angel Club, Walter Evanston, she becomes the Velvet Wasp. In the following stories she and Walt pair up to hunt down killers or solve a murder or crime.

The story was well written despite a few minor editing problems, mostly missing words. The Velvet Wasp grows a little with each story, but that did make the early stories a bit slow. We don’t really see her grow, she just does. We’re told she studied jiu-jitsu and karate, and learned pressure points in order to put people to sleep. But these were all behind the scenes. Men in high city political positions run the Outlanders Mob, but I think the author could have come up with a better sobriquet for the leader than just, Sir. Still, I liked the characters, and the Velvet Wasp reminded me a bit of Domino Lady. Since she was a singer, I kept expecting the Velvet Wasp to use that talent to create a buzz as she enters a room to frighten the crooks, but this never happened, and I was a little disappointed. I do highly recommend this book for those looking for new pulp heroines. I certainly liked The Velvet Wasp.

Tom Johnson

Author of CRIMES LAST STAND