Perilous Judgment: A Book Review ****

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Seems some of you really like my book reviews. Others wonder why I don’t give a plot synopsis. I’ll give you all the details below the fold. But let’s cut to the chase and sell some books for my friend, and fellow Genesis Winner (2014), Dennis Ricci: I present Perilous Judgment.

Perilous Judgment

Perilous Judgment

Please follow me on Twitter, and “Like” the Facebook author page. Don’t forget to subscribe (the box is on the right side of the page) to be eligible for free e-books and other benefits! Oh yeah – grab a copy of Assault on Saint Agnes if you’re of a mind.

Dennis Ricci

Dennis Ricci

Why no plot synopsis? Because I think it’s lazy of me to bulk up the blog with stuff you can read over at Amazon.com (Like the reviews on my book – Say, have you read it and reviewed it yet? Assault on Saint Agnes? I need your review!)
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Now I have my pitch for the day in… Seriously, you trust me to tell you what I liked/didn’t like about the book. The synopsis is up to you. I’m going to feed you the spices and sweets that readers seem to want more than the publisher’s notes about the release.

My usual disclaimer applies: This is an honest review. I don’t shill for friends. But it does help to be my friend if you want your book reviewed. Otherwise, I’d spend the rest of my life reviewing books for people. I want to have fun here as well!

With that being said, here’s the review I’m posting on Amazon for Perilous Judgment about the time this blog gets published:

Perilous Judgment Is A Genesis Award Winner For A Good Reason

I received an advanced reviewer copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What separates Christian fiction from secular fiction is often hard to ignore. In many cases, there’s an overload of wholesomeness and goodie-two-shoes “here’s my favorite Scripture” writing. Dennis Ricci avoids that like the plague, but hews to the guidelines of not using excessive violence, sexual imagery, or foul language.

Because of that, Perilous Judgment is a safe read for anyone with an aversion to rough language and sex. Not that there isn’t plenty of action, violence, and drama in the book, but it’s done for a purpose and doesn’t break the rules. In other words, it’s a good yarn without the offensive items that a lot of secular authors would have gratuitously thrown in. No salacious bits!

The writing jumps back and forth between a few major characters, and if you lose track of who’s up to bat, it can set you back for just a moment. I read the book during a very distracting period of my life, so I have to figure normal people (not squirrels with shiny objects like me) will have no problem.

Lots of good sub-plot devices, clever ruses, and some image painting that leave you feeling the dust of Mexico on your brow as you look for a cool drink and some frijoles. I think about frijoles often, and that makes this a good thing. Lunch Tuesday was frijoles. So if you can put me in mind of a thing that strongly you are doing it right.

One of the main focuses in the book is the immigration issue. Dennis rightly points out the inequities in the current situation in his story, and that was the only thing that gave me a single moment’s pause. I’m not sure if that’s because of my personal convictions on the issue, or the conundrums the characters faced. I’ll leave that for the reader to decide.

Summer’s upon us (except in Minnesota where it’s still freeze-warning season) and this would be an excellent book to take to the beach with you.

I give it 4 stars!

Now, click this link and go grab a copy. Grab one of mine while you’re at it – Genesis award winners need love no matter what year they won!

 

Assault on Saint Agnes is now available. Just click this link to find all the options! (I recommend the autographed copy. It’s cheaper than from the big stores, I scribble in it, and you get it mailed within 5 days. We all win.

When you finish reading any book (especially mine) please review it at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and www.goodreads.com. Your review increases the chances of someone looking for a new book greatly. Authors appreciate your review, even if it is just “I thought this was a good read and will give it to my dog to chew.” Those few words, and a 1-5 rating, make or break how the search engines find us. Thanks in advance.

You’d Better Know The Following Things If You Want To Keep Your Man Card.

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Come to think of it, you’d better know most of this stuff if you plan on owning a house, surviving in the city, ever go camping, travel abroad, or consume oxygen. But since I am semi-regularly accused of not deserving a Man Card because I review books that are written by female authors, some of them romance novels, I feel the need to validate my chromosomal arrangement publicly. (Yes, I’m a binary kind of person. You haters can all skip the insults. I still think that assigned gear should be kept for the duration. Funny that way…)

Please follow me on Twitter, and “Like” the Facebook author page. Don’t forget to subscribe (the box is on the right side of the page) to be eligible for free e-books and other benefits! Oh yeah – grab a copy of Assault on Saint Agnes if you’re of a mind.

Let’s keep this very basic:

You absolutely have to know what a junction box is, and why you need the locks for the knockouts. If those terms escape you, you probably don’t have a 100 year old house with brittle wiring. It is a useful skill. Do not tell the building inspectors you have employed it.

Gleefully misappropriated from the people at Garvin Industries (http://www.garvinindustries.com/electrical-junction-boxes/3-1-2-and-4-octagon-junction-boxes)

Gleefully misappropriated from the people at Garvin Industries (http://www.garvinindustries.com/electrical-junction-boxes/3-1-2-and-4-octagon-junction-boxes)

You have to know how to load a semi-automatic weapon, preferably a handgun, and safely unload the weapon. You also have to know how to shoot it. Buy a stainless steel one so that you don’t have to be a fanatic about cleaning. If you think you don’t need a gun, you’re probably relying on people like Bobby Kurtz to take care of you. He’s a fictional character. Good luck.

Toilet snake. Plunger. Clogs. Here’s a link to fix it yourself. Plumbers run over $100/hr. It’s worth your time to learn this stuff. If you have a chronically clogged toilet, or a slow draining one, it may be due to a family member’s medication. It impacts the stool and makes it stick to the pipes. Adding a few drops of dish washing liquid once a week (Dawn is good) helps keep the pipe clean. It breaks up the blockage and saves big money and flooded bathrooms. Add a bit as the toilet is flushing, and again as the bowl fills.

Don’t get your water downstream from a campground, a farm, or a slow moving part of the river. You can boil it all day long and it will still taste like the sewage from upstream. If you are out in the woods, and have no other source of water, for heaven’s sake use a filter that eliminates Giardia. Chlorine and boiling don’t always eliminate the stuff that really can kill you in the water. Filter it, chlorinate it, boil it. If that doesn’t work, reflect on how you made God mad at you to the point where He reels you in for drinking water.

Overseas travel: If you are with a tour group, you are a target. Yeah, you. Make sure your tour company is reputable, protects your life with briefings on the local situation, and employs armed guides and guards in really dangerous areas. I’ve enjoyed more than one meal at a restaurant where the guy at the door was carrying a pump-action 12 gauge. Made me feel downright good. If that barkin beast didn’t keep me safe, nothing would.

Learn how to grow a few vegetables. I don’t know why, but that always seems to be on these lists.

Learn how to properly operate a circular saw. Not doing it right can cause the loss of handy things like fingers. If you own a house, you will need one sooner or later.

Be prepared to move on a week’s notice. Not that you are planning on fleeing the authorities, but what if that dream job came up in a remote city? What would you need to bring with you? What could you leave behind? (The answer is most of the crap in your home could stay there and you’d never miss it. If that’s the case, why not get rid of it now?)

Learn how to prepare a meal for fifty people. Doesn’t have to be fancy, but it’s a skill that can come in handy if you need a job. More than one restaurant has hired the cook just because they had some vague idea how to move food down the line in a timely fashion.

Learn CPR. Everybody should know how to do this vital task. You might help someone else keep their man card by keeping them alive.

Know how to gut and skin an animal. Not that you need to practice on your neighbor’s cat, but at least know how to do it if you’re in an emergency situation.

Get a platinum Visa card with a $40,000 limit. Then you can skip all the stuff above and hire people to do it.

But then again, I’ll be asking for a loan.

Have a great day. Stop back Thursday for a book review of Perilous Journey by Dennis Ricci.

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Assault on Saint Agnes is now available. Just click this link to find all the options! (I recommend the autographed copy. It’s cheaper than from the big stores, I scribble in it, and you get it mailed within 5 days. We all win.

When you finish reading any book (especially mine) please review it at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and www.goodreads.com. Your review increases the chances of someone looking for a new book greatly. Authors appreciate your review, even if it is just “I thought this was a good read and will give it to my dog to chew.” Those few words, and a 1-5 rating, make or break how the search engines find us. Thanks in advance.

A Fall Of Sparrows – Book Review Time! Yes, Five ***** Stars.

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Since I have nothing else to do this month (except promote Assault on Saint Agnes) I thought I’d review a fellow author’s book. Lest you accuse me of only happy-happy-joy-joy reviews, you should know I read a lot of books that never get here. Less than four stars and I won’t review it. If it’s on this blog, I really liked it. Mind you, none of that “My publisher asked me to do this” stuff in my house. It’s gotta be good.

A Fall of Sparrows, by Paul J. Bennett.

A Fall of Sparrows

A Fall of Sparrows

Also, since I am fairly lazy, I thought I’d just post my Amazon review of the book. Yeah, I’m like that – why write something twice!

I grabbed this book because it’s from the same publisher as my book. Brand loyalty and all that.

Now, after reading this exceptional tale of courage, honesty, and the touch of The Holy Spirit in one man’s heart, I can’t wait to read more from Paul J. Bennett. As a matter of fact, sitting down and talking with him about this book is on my list of highlights when we have our author’s meeting in August before the Christian Festival for Athanatos Ministries and the press it supports.

I’ve read my share of Civil War books, and this ranks up there with Karl Bacon’s work. I gave Bacon 5 stars for both of his books, and Paul is every bit as engaging.

Much of the story is told in the first person, from the eyes of the Hero. This is a man bedeviled by the real world, seeking the spiritual. He comes to realize that one can either be, or not be, true to his faith.

While the book relies on a Christian viewpoint, and uses the character’s faith to bring home certain points, it is equally a story of the times, abolitionist issues, and the moral dilemma of just war.

Mr. Bennett is a gifted author who’s words flow like the river of life through the work. I aspire to write this well.

I can heartily recommend this book to Civil War buffs, Christian fiction enthusiasts, and anyone who loves a very well told tale.

Free Stuff, Giveaway, No Cost, Etc.

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Let’s get serious: I’m trying to give away free stuff and people are just “liking” the posts.

Free audio book versions of Assault on Saint Agnes: (due to a limitation on a script, you have to click on this http://gvwy.io/uveje9d

Free Kindle version, hit this link: https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/e1e7a4c0eb6b3afd

Let me repeat that:

What? You can’t stand my voice? I guess you’d better just settle for the Kindle version give way. That’s right here See, I know you too well. Please do me a favor and share that link with everyone you know in the universe. Or, possibly on Facebook. It’s a random drawing by Amazon.com and they award prizes to every X entrants. More entries means more winners. I like giving them away. Help me spread the word. Here’s the “naked” link for Facebook, Twitter, etc. https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/e1e7a4c0eb6b3afd

I am shocked – thousands see it, hundreds click the link. There’s no catch. You can send the tweet, like the page, whatever the deal is, and then reneg afterward. I’m easy. Some might say more.

Please take the time to enter!

When It Rains You Get Wet. It Also Slakes Your Thirst. Drowns Turkeys, Too.

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First, see the previous blog (right below this one) for a couple of giveaway dealies – free audio books of Assault on Saint Agnes and Kindle versions as well. Free as in no cash, but you have to like something or tweet about it. Hey, I need the publicity!

Now we get to the meat of this thing. More like bacon than anything else, and I love bacon. I hope you do as well.

Please follow me on Twitter, and “Like” the Facebook author page. Don’t forget to subscribe (the box is on the right side of the page) to be eligible for free e-books and other benefits! Oh yeah – grab a copy of Assault on Saint Agnes if you’re of a mind.

I’m not going to preach today. You should all be thankful for that. Only one congregation has ever had to listen to me from a pulpit. God and I had a long talk after that stage of my life and we agreed that it was not a place I belong. I beat Him to the punch and said it wasn’t my forte. But there’s a God story unwinding in my life and I’d like to share it with you today.

For the last 13 years (longer, but who’s counting) I’ve aspired to do audio books for a living. I did a bunch of them for Minnesota State Services For The Blind, and while it was the toughest gig I’ve ever auditioned for, it was very rewarding. But there was no money in that volunteer position, and I knew I could do this for real.

I also, for the last six or so years, desired to be a professional author. See the first paragraph! It took a lot of work, and I busted my brain more than once wondering if this was the right thing. But there are now several books with my name on the cover… well, one that’s been published, but there are more on the hard drive. Two have even made it to beta reader stages. Serious stuff.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what? The answer is kind of beautiful: after all these years of seeking those fruits, and working very hard on the prayer aspect of it all, God opened the blessing basket and threw some amazing items to me.

In the last two weeks I’ve published my first novel. I’ve released my first audio book. I have to decide whether to write the prequel or the sequel first, as the demand seems to be there. Great reviews are coming in in good numbers. (If you have read it, but not reviewed it, please hop over to Amazon right now, review it, and come back. I’ll wait.)

Also, in the last two weeks, I’ve been signed to do an audio book for another author (publishing house, actually) who heard about me. My voice partner and I will be turning that work out in the next few weeks. So, BOOM, one decade-long goal accomplished in my life.

Professional author stuff: I’ve been asked, tentatively, to write a book for someone else. Yup, perfect job for a spook: ghostwriting. The requirements were writing ability, military experience, and willingness to travel to a third-world country to do research. Nice check if I get the job. Nice person – met them last week. Nothing says professional author like a certified check.

Now, for my friends from NAVESCGRU, quit laughing about my military experience. Yes, I did specialize in telling dirty jokes in Arabic and eating extra meals while at sea. I even managed to make it through basic training without ever firing a weapon. (I think the statute of limitations is over on this, so I’m ratting my Company Commander out. He had something else for me to do on the day my company went to the range for the box to be checked. As he pointed out, I had plenty of weapons experience as a police officer, and going to the range with my smart mouth probably meant I’d wind up in trouble. Instead, I grabbed my courier bag, went to the exchange, had an ice cream soda and smoked some Marlboros. I was mysteriously signed off on all the records as having been qualified to carry a weapon. Yes, in 1984 the Navy sent you for a six hour qualification that consisted, I’m told, of not shooting the guy next to you, firing about twenty rounds of ammo, and making sure there were no spurious holes in anyone’s uniform. That, thankfully has changed. I really did qualify as an expert on the pistol later on, and was qualified to carry a shotgun for the repel boarders team on one ship.)

But so many of the things that happen in the military, and nowhere else, are common to all services, all generations, and all nations. Recruits are recruits, everyone gets yelled at for having their hands in their pockets, and everyone has a story about “that guy from…” in their basic training group. The client needed someone who had lived the life to get his viewpoint. I hope to get the job, and ask you to offer up a prayer to help make that happen.

Now, I’ve gotten wet (worked up the sweat getting here), slaked my thirst (you have all been kind in your reviews and purchases), and have to avoid drowning like a turkey in the rain. So much happening so fast and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The fact that I’m writing this at 0035 is probably an indication of that fact.

Just wanted to share that good news with all of you. Most of all, I wanted to acknowledge that God controls that faucet.

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Assault on Saint Agnes is now available. Just click this link to find all the options! (I recommend the autographed copy. It’s cheaper than from the big stores, I scribble in it, and you get it mailed within 5 days. We all win.

When you finish reading any book (especially mine) please review it at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and www.goodreads.com. Your review increases the chances of someone looking for a new book greatly. Authors appreciate your review, even if it is just “I thought this was a good read and will give it to my dog to chew.” Those few words, and a 1-5 rating, make or break how the search engines find us. Thanks in advance.