Review: Frapps The Barbarian by J.L. Blenkinsop

Frapps The Barbarian

by 

J.L. Blenkinsop

Frapps, a lowly wen-picker from the Equatorial Girdle, is overwhelmed when he picks up a paperback novel in Catenary Jones' Trading Post. Its cover depicts the gormless Frapps himself, bestride the Globe; and the title is Frapps the Barbarian...
Flicking through he sees that most of the book is empty - but pages are being written as he reads.
How could any red-blooded wen-picker resist? He sets out to defeat the foul Dictator Unther Margate and save the fair Princess Amplex. Making his farewells the intrepid idiot sets off for the distant city of Campingas.
This short novella, the first in a brief series called The Knights of the Golden Drain, was written many years ago. It depicts a journey through great odds undertaken with the help of the All-Powerful. A journey we may all, idiot or not, embark upon. 

My Take:

When Frapps, the Barbarian, a lowly wen-picker from the Equatorial Girdle, visits Catenary Jones' Trading Post, he is surprised to see a paperback novel there with his own likeness on the cover, and his own name there, too. Recovering from the shock, he opens it to find that most of the pages are blank. But what is in there are the activities of his last few minutes. The pages are being written as he reads.

Inside the book he also discovers that a hapless land far to the north called Legoland is being taken over by a despot named Unther Margate, who is making plans to overthrow the kingdom by marrying the fair Princess Amplex. The rebel forces have called for the assistance of a Hero, by putting an ad in the paper. How could any half-wit resist?

Content:

Drug Content:

G - None, unless wens are cigarettes. I have no idea.

Violence:

PG - The bad guy in this story is not above chopping off heads, and his sword gets stuck in a dead guy. There's a knife in the back, but for the most part it's about on a Disney level.

Language:

G - squeaky clean. In fact, the book refuses to record one word the bad guy lets fly. :-)

Adult Content:

PG - This is a kids' book. Sort of. Not even kissing occurs here. There's a bit of potty humor with the choices of names in this hilarious romp, about on a level with Spongebob I suppose. There are several scenes, however, where the main character is rendered naked, a relatively obvious allegory to how we are all naked before God, unable to hide our sin.

Christian content:

Quite a bit. There is a significant amount of Christian allegory in it, with the Immortal Unicorn being the embodiment it seems of Christ. There are other parallels but some of that would be spoiling. There are no bible verses quoted, no preaching, per se. Self sacrifice and determination are bold and up front. The concept of the king being God's man found in Rom 13:4 is clearly displayed. 

Final analysis:

Frapps the Barbarian is a novella, which I rarely review. But this was an entertaining and quick read, with a nice moral outcome where good triumphs in the end. I found some of the thick English cockney accents a bit hard to interpret, but there were only a few areas where they were problematic. The characters are all whimsical and you can't take them too seriously, but even so there is definite character development and the world building is ingenious. I found it fascinating, entertaining, fast-paced and enthralling. Five stars!

About the Author:

After many years during which I've written plays, pantomimes and short stories for friends, I am now the proud possessor of a step-daughter, attached to a beautiful and intelligent wife.
I've never had a child to look after before, and it's a challenge. She'll be a teenager this month. Watching her trying to work out what life means to her, how to cope with friends and foes, made me write (for the very first time) a novel, just for her.

Review: The Flawed Ones - A Story of Mental Illness, Addiction and Love by Jay Chirino

The Flawed Ones - A Story of Mental Illness, Addiction and Love

by 

Jay Chirino

After leaving behind a trail of drug-addled destruction, Jay finds himself confined to the walls of a psychiatric hospital. He is now compelled to confront his actions, his issues, and the past that led him to such downhill spiral. But what surprisingly affects him most are the people that he becomes surrounded by; people with considerable deficiencies that will shed some light on the things that truly matter in life.

“The Flawed Ones” is a thorough examination of the struggles of mental illness, depression, addiction, and the effects they have on the human condition. Most importantly, it proves that physical and mental shortcomings do not necessarily define who we truly are inside- that the heart is, in fact, untouched by our “flaws”, and that love will always prevail above all.

My Take:

Jay has admitted himself into a psychiatric hospital to recover from a long trail of addiction and destruction. He must face the monsters of his past and the destruction he caused in order to move forward into a new life of sobriety. For the many people confined with him in the psych ward, including him, the future holds an opportunity for improvement or return to the destruction that brought them to this place.

The Flawed Ones is an in-depth examination of the life inside a psychiatric ward, and the internal struggles that accompany it. 

Content:

Drug Content:

R - The majority of this book covers a lot of ground, from alcoholism to prescription and street drug addictions, and the destruction that accompany them. Cocaine, Vicodin, Xanax, Marijuana, and many other drugs are discussed at some length, as the author, or at least the main character, had struggles with most of these. Significant space is given to discussion of the effects of these drugs and their less-potent treatment drugs, and how an addict can be safely brought into sobriety without the death that often accompanies withdrawal from these potent drugs. Clear descriptions, honest and raw, of the destruction caused by an addict to the ones he or she loves, is laid bare and bleeding for the reader to see. A deranged addict pours a bottle of pills down the throat of a child and forces her to swallow.

Violence:

PG - There is a scene where one patient is screaming the word 'Rebellion!' repeatedly at the top of his lungs, and another patient punches him out.

Language:

PG-13 - The F-bomb is dropped once, and swear words are scattered lightly throughout. 

Adult Content:

R - One of the female patients tries to make out with the main character, and he has a dream during this that is rather intensely erotic. (She does this while he is asleep). There are three passages in the book that are in the bedroom, and get a bit graphic in their depiction.   Rape is openly discussed. An addict uses prostitution for a fix.

Christian content:

Jay's roommate for much of the book is a Christian man named Bob. He reads several passages of the bible out loud to Jay. The main character's parents pray fervently for him to be delivered from his addictions. His girlfriend is a Christian girl too, but they move in together at his prompting, rather than marrying. There are hints that the main character is considering his eternal destination, but other hints that he cannot accept the existence of God.

Final analysis:

The Flawed Ones is poignant, raw, eloquent, emotional, and relevant. It covers a lot of ground and exposes the tendencies in the medical profession to simply treat mental health issues with medication as the easy and quick way out. Many of the characters in the book are reduced to zombies each night, and only reach a modicum of lucidity during the day. I can't determine if this is a work of fiction, an autobiography, or, more likely, a hybrid of both, with names changed to protect the innocent. The characters were raw and believable, and the issues relevant. The passages concerning backstory and interaction between the characters were incredibly eloquent and beautiful.

That having been said, the pacing was extremely slow for me. The book dragged in parts, and was a bit disjointed in other parts. At the end it was revealed he had only been in the ward a week, but it seemed much longer to me, partially because of the flashbacks, dreams, and backstories of the other characters.

This book is recommended reading for anyone wanting a clear understanding of mental health issues; depression, anxiety, addiction, codependency, sexual addictions, abuse, and the list goes on. However, the content is adult enough to recommend for late teens and adults only. I found it to be engaging and immersive, but the pacing was too slow for me to give it more than Four Stars.

About the Author:
Mental health advocate and author of The Flawed Ones, a story of mental illness, addiction and love. You can download free at theflawedones.com

Review: Summer Camp Trouble by Max Elliot Anderson

Summer Camp Trouble

by 

Max Elliot Anderson 

Kurt Benson and his friends Riley and Jordan used to look forward to summer camp each year up in Wisconsin. But that was before the camp opened up to kids who came from some pretty rough homes a couple of years ago. Then, this summer, things got a little more interesting when a rich kid showed up. He didn’t come by bus, minivan, or car like most campers. This guy arrived in a helicopter. Plus, his suitcases were filled with candy bars and other things he used to get kids to do things for him. This summer, some of the roughest boys Kurt had ever seen came to camp. Right from the start, they caused all kinds of trouble. Then, one night, there was a huge explosion as fireworks went off. They were supposed to hit Kurt’s cabin, but something went terribly wrong. Why did Kurt risk his own safety to save the life of one of the worst guys at camp? His actions would change Rudy’s life from that point on.

My Take:

When Kurt Benson and his friends Riley and Jordan head out to the Christian Summer Camp they've been going to for years, they expect it will just be another spiritually uplifting week away in the mountains. Little do they know that Camp Decorah is about to have the most challenging week of its existence. When rich kid Rudy shows up in a helicopter loaded down with a pile of suitcases loaded with candy and fireworks, things get out of hand quickly. Rudy is an arrogant troublemaker with a penchant for hiring others to do his fighting for him, and he's itching for a fight with the church kids he's being forced to spend a week with.

Kurt is trying his best to be a good example for his friends, and a good witness to Rudy, but how can you show a kid like that his need for Jesus when he has everything a boy could ever want? And how can you show love and friendship to someone who's decided to show only hate and be your enemy?

Content:

Drug Content:

G - None.

Violence:

G - Kids are hurt in the camp hijinks that ensue. A kid is beaten up. Bullying is a major theme. A fire nearly leaves someone dead.

Language:

G - squeaky clean.

Adult Content:

G - This is a kids' book. Not even kissing occurs here. Some minor preteen kidding about dating occurs.

Christian content:

This is a Christian camp. As one might expect there is a major Christian theme present, and the gospel message is clearly presented but without pushing it on the reader, or breaking the fourth wall. Christian character, loving your enemies, selflessness and courage are major themes. The counselors have a solid faith and so do the main characters.

Final analysis:

Summer Camp Trouble was an excellent and quick read, a good adventure story safe for boys of all ages, with good life lessons on character development and being a witness to the lost. With an exciting plot, a fast pace, good character development, and a fun setting, what's not to love? Five Stars!

About the Author:

Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a struggling reader. After surveying the market, he sensed the need for action-adventures and mysteries for readers 8 – 13, especially boys. 

Using his extensive experience in the production of dramatic motion pictures, videos, and television commercials, Mr. Anderson brings that same visual excitement and heart-pounding action to his stories. Each book has different characters, setting, and plot. 

Ten middle grade books are published, ten more are under contract, with several additional manuscripts completed. Young readers have reported that reading one of his books is like actually being in an exciting movie. He is also a short story staff writer for Knowonder.com Magazine.

Books for Boys Blog: http://booksandboys.blogspot.com 
Author Web Site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/index_1.html
My Youtube Videos http://www.youtube.com/user/Maxbooks1...

Review: A Poem for Britain (Bards of Fantasia #1) by S.W. Wilcox

A Poem for Britain

(Bards of Fantasia #1)

by 

S.W. Wilcox

First the world was nuked, then mythic monsters invaded. What a life, and I, Dormira, am only 16--but going on 30. Good thing my boyfriend Skall is a genius. I'm a co-minstrel, linguist--and his bodyguard too, as we face Magic schools...Stolen youth...and Love-obsessed gods. Now the ancient Fire & Ice giants want the world to end. But they're opposed by elements of water, air, and earth, the shock-troops of friendlier gods and wizards. And bards from our techie future are a new piece on the chessboard. It figures the gods, ghosts & ghouls we're pitted against don't like our meddling. That's their shapeshifting sport. Skall urges we race mythic British landmarks within 48 hours of Halloween, performing key songs as hero-minstrels, solving ancient riddles and tragedies. Things move fast when deaths need avenging and you're time-skipping and running for your own life as well! Can our music save the world from chaos?

My Take:

Dor and Skall are witnesses to a great destruction at the end of time, driven by an ancient red-hooded sorceress intent on the destruction of man. With their electric guitars, songwriting and ninja skills they jump through a portal back in time to attempt to change the past which will change the future which will make the trip to the past unnecessary, er, and I rub my templs and quip with Captain Janeway, that time travel makes the head hurt.

The Norse and British demi-gods vie for mastery and love while Dor and Skall try to stay alive long enough to make friends and influence the movers and shakers of the skies. But will their time-changing machinations and their songwriting skills save them from the master of the underworld and a fate worse than, but including, death?

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - There are several drunken parties while cavorting through the past, but overall not a lot..

Violence:

PG - There are several scenes involving war and a few brawls that take place.

Language:

G - Relatively clean.

Adult Content:

PG - There's a scene where Skall is enthralled by a goddess and heads off to her bedchamber. There's a scene where the Norns discuss mating.

Christian content:

Nada. There's a scene where Christian warriors are battling the pagan forces. For the most part the only gods depicted in this novella are the Norse ones of Fire, Ice, Death, and the Sea. Frost-Hel, Etain, Gyn, Deirdru, Angus, Mannanan, Dovnu, the Norns, and the World-Tree people the past and fight each other for mastery of the all-important World-Tree and its many dimensions.

Final analysis:

Each chapter in this book began with sketches of the action inside, and it reads like a screenplay, which it devolved from. The action is quick and gripping, and the many worlds visited are panoramic in view. The World-building is immersive, and the humor and interplay outstanding. But the characters in the story were a bit wooden to me and could have used better dimension, the gods and supporting cast were almost one-dimensional. The stakes were high, of course, the fate of all the dimensions, but the action was a bit jerky for my taste. Focus went from one gripping scene to a quick flight or rescue, to another crisis without any real transition.

I found the world-building stellar, the plot outstanding, but the character development and pacing unfortunately in need of fleshing out. This could have found a home as a trilogy, with the amount of action it contained, but in its brief form it was a bit like a sped up movie, panoramic and epic and all-too-soon over. Four Stars.

Review: The Essence of Life by Rain Arlender

The Essence of Life

by 

Rain Arlender

“Seeking outdoors-loving colleague. Solitude-requiring, big-footed preferably.”  Usually with an ad like this, one would look the other way. But Aurora is in a pinch – she has to take the job. Her employer is a Scottish family who run a distillery. Her workplace is the open field: no animals, no crops and nothing to do. Her work tool – and only companion – a giant pair of Wellington boots. Aurora's task is to walk in the field, and she has no idea why she is getting paid for it...

My Take:

Aurora is a very large girl with incredibly large feet. Her prospects for employment are dwindling when she comes across the ad for a job working in the fields of a small distillery. The Scottish family that runs the distillery is slightly odd but friendly enough, and they affably take her in without much in the way of an interview, other than a good look at her feet.

She is required to walk in the fields during the day, and her only work tool is a pair of Wellington boots. Why they have hired her is unclear, because her task is only to walk the fields, and surrender her shoes and socks each night. Why is she getting paid for this, again?

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - There is a significant amount of drinking in the book, which is not unexpected, as it centers around a distillery, and the quality libations produced there. There are a few characters in this epic tale that drink like a fish, but their activities are usually off-screen.

Violence:

PG - There is some discussion concerning a wife-beater, but there is no violence that occurs onscreen.

Language:

R - The F bomb is dropped 3 times. Sh-t occurs several times, other expletives are absent.

Adult Content:

PG-13 - There is a scene where a young male exposes himself for his kindergarten friends, and wanders off with a young girl he likes. There's discussion about his gender identity. Sex is an offhand expectation of casual dating. There is a scene where sex occurs onscreen, not graphically described, with the girlfriend wearing only the boss's necktie.

Christian content:

Hmmm. So, there's a discussion of who God is, but it's extremely tongue in cheek and slightly irreverent. The Dog is God, Patrick is God. God's house is visited but then there's a discussion of how God isn't coming, and he let them in but left. It's funny, but I'd enter this book with the expectation that God's a good tool for a good joke.

Final analysis:

While The Essence of Life was worth many chuckles, it seemed to drag for me, and I couldn't get invested in the characters, and there were a confusing lot of them. In places the descriptions were panoramic, but the action was confusing and the backstories of the characters seemed a bit unnecessary, if titillating.

I didn't find the irreverence off-putting, but couldn't get invested in the plot or characters, and the pace just moved ponderously on, though the main undercurrent plot of the story is a tremendous joke worth telling. If you like drinking, big feet, or elaborate hilarious pranks, this would be a good book to pick up and delve into, for me, eh, not as much. Three Stars.

Review: Sickness in Time by M.F. Thomas, Nicholas Thurkettle

Sickness in Time

by 

M.F. Thomas,

 

Nicholas Thurkettle

In 2038, the human race is in a death spiral, and most people do not even know it yet. Technology that was supposed to make us better and stronger instead is birthing a strange and terrible plague we may not be able to stop. When the young daughter of Josh Scribner, a wealthy tech entrepreneur, starts to succumb to the illness, he dedicates his fortune in a desperate effort to save her life. Working with a friend & celebrated physicist, Josh develops the ability to send objects back through time. Their goal to recruit an agent in the past who might change our fatal path.

In our present day, a broken and traumatized Air Force veteran finds a strange message in the woods, drawing her into an adventure spanning decades. All humanity is at stake, as she and her small group of friends become the unlikely heroes taking up the secret fight against our future doom.

My Take:

In 2039, A plague that attacks the brain is spreading across the globe, and wealthy tech entrepreneur Josh Scribner is convinced that the tech he developed to make the human race better is at fault. As more and more cases come in of the strange and deadly plague, Josh realizes that warning the public is the only choice, even if it ruins him. 

But his warnings have come too late to save the human race. Until he joins forces with a close friend and celebrated physicist. Together they develop a system to send messages back in time and change the past, eradicating mankind's fatal future.

In 2015, Maria Kerrigan, a traumatized Air Force veteran, finds a strange message in the woods, plunging her into a gripping fight against a dark and determined evil foe to save mankind from certain doom.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - Most of the main characters drink, some to intoxication, and one is a recovering alcoholic who falls off the wagon into a destructive spiral. Brain-altering tech and mind-enhancing drugs are pandered in the future.

Violence:

PG - There is a scene where a man is tortured without any real physical harm, but with a brain implant. Discussion is made how an extended or increased level of this procedure has killed multiple people. A man is shot to death in his own home. A stalker kills a person with a rock. A person is strangled. Several are killed by remote control. Bruising and blood are mentioned, but none of the violence is graphic.

Language:

R - The D word occurs about 25 times, GD is there 3 times. The F bomb is dropped 4 times.

Adult Content:

PG-13 - Four of the main characters, although involved in platonic friendships, are repeatedly mistaken as gay couples. One of the main characters has several drunken sexual encounters, though the action occurs off-screen. Urination is mentioned a few times. 

Christian content:

Nope. God doesn't really get discussed even in an offhanded way here, nor attendance at church. This is a great adventure story, with some overarching moral themes of self-sacrifice, the greater good, loyalty, duty, and persistence in the face of insurmountable odds. It takes a hard look also at mental health and the hubris mankind sometimes has in the violation of ethical standards for monetary gain and power. Good and evil were clearly delineated, save for certain minions led away by duplicity.

Final analysis:

Sickness in Time was an amazing adventure story. I found it an action-packed dystopian page-turner. The main characters were very real and raw. Character development and setting were excellent. The stakes were as high as they come, and the antagonist, though relatively two-dimensional, had his own dark stakes that were quite real. Though I could do without the language, I found the book gripping and couldn't put it down, losing sleep several nights. Not one I'd recommend for the kiddies, but it's a great adventure for the adult crowd. Five Stars!

About the Authors:

MF Thomas has lived and worked in over 20 countries. He is very happy to be home in the United States. His website is www.MFThomasAuthor.com.









Nicholas Thurkettle is a writer, actor, and filmmaker currently living in Southern California. Born in Los Gatos, California, he grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, turned teenage in Huntington Beach, California, and studied at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he earned B.A. degrees in Theatre Performance and Music. He has worked, among many other jobs, as a feature film story executive, a limousine driver, a film critic, a luggage salesman, a teacher of screenwriting, a professional smeller for a Sanitation Department, and something called a "data migration project supervisor."

His first novel, Seeing by Moonlight (co-written with MF Thomas), debuted in autumn 2013 and was called "an intriguingly dark thriller, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages up until the rather surprising conclusion" by IndieReader. In August 2015 he published a collection of 15 short stories entitled Stages of Sleep, which was praised as "immediate, lyrical, and lean". A second sci-fi thriller novel written with MF Thomas, A Sickness in Time, was released in August 2016.

As an actor he has an extensive resume of on-stage Shakespeare and roles in upcoming independent feature films including "The Revelator", "Cloudy With a Chance of Sunshine", "Aventura!" and "Reclaiming Friendship Park". He is a member of the Writers Guild of America for his screenwriting work in Hollywood, and is the producer/writer/director of two short films. The first, "Samantha Gets Back Out There", had its world premiere at the 2015 Laughlin International Film Festival and received an Honorable Mention from the IndieFEST USA Film and Music Festival. The second, "The Retriever", is currently in submissions to the film festival circuit for late 2016 and early 2017.

He is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America for his screenwriting work, as well as the Orange County Playwrights Alliance; an Artistic Associate/Casting Director with Shakespeare Orange County, and a producer/writer/performer with the award-winning audio drama podcast Earbud Theater.

Review: A Brush with the Beast by Richard Sones

A Brush with the Beast

by 

Richard Sones

A brilliant and exceptionally talented IT executive, Nick Gooseberry, is at his wits' end trying to rid himself of chronic debilitating pain. In desperation he turns to The Order, a shadowy organization that promises him freedom from pain and much more. With The Order's help behind the scenes, Nick lies and blackmails his way into the highest levels of government while plunging into the blackest corners of hell until he sets his sights on ruling the world.

Sarah Johnson is a thirty-something ex-con that the system abandoned in a small town in Texas. As a dime store cashier, her biggest worries are what to eat and what to wear, but she's always late for work. Her boss decides to get rid of her for good by sending her back to prison, enticing her with a shortcut to riches. She meets the Lord along the way and manages to escape from the authorities, but the fact that she's pregnant attracts the attention of the Beast. After being whisked to the other side of the planet, her biggest worry becomes surviving.

A Palestinian schoolboy who witnessed the death of his parents grows into a world renowned terrorist driven by his thirst for revenge on his family's murderers. He hates Israel and their number one ally, the United States. Known by his Arabic nickname, Fanak (the Fox), he orchestrates terror on every continent never realizing that he's a puppet of the Beast.

My Take:

Nick Gooseberry has had it with the chronic pain in his back. A brilliant IT executive and owner of Dervish Enterprises, Nick is at his wits' end. In desperation he turns to The Order, a mysterious organization that promises freedom from the pain, in exchange for a deal with the devil. With the Order's help, Nick lies and schemes himself to the top of the most powerful country in the world, but is this at the cost of his own soul?

Sarah Johnson is a thirty-something divorcee with a Meth addiction, working for a dime store. Her boss decides to get rid of her by setting her up to get sent to prison. During the setup she ends up pregnant, which is now illegal for convicts. This attracts the attention of the Beast, who has plans for her unborn child. 

Fanak (the fox) is a deep cover terrorist causing havoc around the world, all to bring down the nation of Israel and it's number one ally, the United States. He is driven by a deep-seated hatred for the murderers of his parents, never realizing he is a pawn for the Beast.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG - Sarah is a methamphetamine addict. While the book never goes into detail about the effects of the drug, it's the catalyst that propels her to jail.

Violence:

PG - This is a book about the last days. A city is destroyed by nuclear bombs. People disappear, are killed, there is some discussion about the blood of the unborn used in ritual sacrifice. A mosque is destroyed by bombs. Terrorism takes many lives. But none of the violence, while pervasive, is gratuitous.

Language:

PG - very light sprinkling.

Adult Content:

PG - The main character ends up pregnant after a single encounter. However, the encounter is implied, it doesn't even occur on stage.   

Christian content:

This book is strongly Christian. It's a book about faith and hope in a world gone crazy in the last days. It's about the supernatural guidance and protection of a sovereign God. Bible verses are exchanged and quoted, prayers are made and answered. In one place the voice of God breaks in against the devil himself. The book is unapologetically Christian, but it's not overly preachy. There are several Christian conversions that happen on stage. The gospel during those times is clearly presented. Yet it doesn't preach at the reader, but carries him along through the enthralling action.

Final analysis:

A Brush with the Beast is an epic tale. It spans four continents and covers the progress of three main characters and dozens of minor ones. The world it depicts is stark and dangerously close to reality. It is well-written, gripping, panoramic in scope. The settings are immersive, the plot ever-changing. The characters are real, the spiritual realm clearly delineated. Fast paced, immersive, gripping, encouraging. Well done! Five Stars!

About the Author:
Richard Sones grew up as a citizen of the world. Moving every three to twenty-four months from continent to continent, he was exposed to many cultures. As an adult, he continued his tour of the world as a chaplain in the U.S. Army having served 28 years. As a consequence of many deployments, he has first hand knowledge of many varied customs and peoples. Happily married now 38 years, he is a father to four and grandfather to another four. He is still in ministry as the chaplain of a major hospital in El Paso, Texas. He lives just outside the city in the semi-desert where he has time to write, build things in his wood shop, play his guitar, and tinker with the yard.

Review: The Secret of Grandmother's Grandfather Clock (Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson and His Friends, Riley and Jordan #3) by Max Elliot Anderson

The Secret of Grandmother's Grandfather Clock (Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson and His Friends, Riley and Jordan #3)

by 

Max Elliot Anderson

Kurt Benson is at it again, only this time with his cousin Josh as his mystery-solving sidekick. When an unexpected family tragedy launches the boys into a full-blown investigation, they quickly find themselves in more danger than they could ever have imagined. But Kurt’s love for his grandfather urges him on in his quest for the truth—and in his efforts to save his grandparents’ farm. Will an old grandfather clock and a very special model airplane unlock the mystery before it’s too late?

My Take:

When Kurt Benson's grandfather passes away, he and his cousin Josh head to the farm for the funeral. While there they discover that their grandmother is in danger of losing the farm. As the boys dig deeper they discover that a cryptic message from their deceased grandfather may unlock the secret of the old grandfather clock and help save the farm. As their investigation continues, the boys find themselves in more danger than they could imagine! Will their quick wits, the old clock, and a special model airplane save the day?

Content:

Drug Content:

G - None.

Violence:

G - Children are threatened, thugs chase them, but no weapons are in evidence. Some people suffer burns and minor injuries.

Language:

G - squeaky clean.

Adult Content:

G - This is a kids' book. Not even kissing occurs here.

Christian content:

The faith of their grandfather and grandmother is evident and discussed a bit, but there is no overt Christian doctrine or preaching involved inside. Kurt has faith and it's mentioned in the book as well. But the main thrust of the book is an entertaining adventure story for kids, and it does well at that. Perseverance, faith, love, and loyalty play heavily into the plot of this little novel.

Final analysis:

The Secret of Grandmother's Grandfather Clock was an entertaining read, with good life lessons for kids ages 6-16. Weighing in at a little over 100 pages, it's a fairly quick read and the reading level is sufficient for a 10 year old to enjoy. I read this aloud to my 13yo son and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast-paced, clean, exciting and immersive, this book was captivating from start to finish. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a struggling reader. After surveying the market, he sensed the need for action-adventures and mysteries for readers 8 – 13, especially boys. 

Using his extensive experience in the production of dramatic motion pictures, videos, and television commercials, Mr. Anderson brings that same visual excitement and heart-pounding action to his stories. Each book has different characters, setting, and plot. 

Ten middle grade books are published, ten more are under contract, with several additional manuscripts completed. Young readers have reported that reading one of his books is like actually being in an exciting movie. He is also a short story staff writer for Knowonder.com Magazine.

Books for Boys Blog: http://booksandboys.blogspot.com 
Author Web Site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/index_1.html
My Youtube Videos http://www.youtube.com/user/Maxbooks1...