Harmony Lost

Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell, A Review

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1968 London: the careers of four talented, young musicians are floundering on the rocks. Recognizing their promise, a visionary manager assembles them into a dream band, Utopia Avenue. Will they make it to the top? Or will the fates intervene? Pros: Crossover from the author’s other novels. Vivid portrayal of the era. Possible Cons: Mostly

The Creative Info Dump

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The Example of Hyperion, Blackfish City and Children of Time In science fiction, the author must describe the special features of the story’s world to the reader. At worst, the information is laid out in a long didactic paragraph, the dreaded “info dump.” And sometimes, an info dump includes details not relevant to the story:

The Wake Up, Paranormal Dystopia by Angela Panayotopulos

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Greek Glass Makers Navigate Fascist Dystopia Pros: Lyrical prose. Poetic and allegorical. Cast features much cultural diversity.Possible cons: Unusual structure including set up and unlikely wrap up. More character and theme driven than plot driven. Plot requires substantial suspension of disbelief. In the paranoid dystopia of Angela Panayotopulos’s paranormal novel, The Wake Up, a mad

The Great Contagion by Jeff Chapman, A Review

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Pros: Gripping plot. Professional prose, production and editing. Possible Cons: Loner, emotionally isolated main character. Many unpleasant supporting characters. Jeff Chapman’s medieval fantasy, The Great Contagion, lies somewhat outside my usual reading preferences. However, possession is one of my literary interests, and the novel covers a distinct possession, the well-known human into animal transfer. Hate

Supernatural Meets Breaking Bad

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A Name in the Dark by G.S. Fortis, a Review Pros: Action packed plot. Vivid, cinematic prose. Characters with emotional depth. Possible Cons: High graphic index (violence). First two chapters with minor issues. Thanks my character Pam’s experience with an inner demon, I’ve become interested in literary portrayals of possession. Any kind of possession will

The Portable Door by Tom Holt, A Review.

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Pros: Very funny, priceless witticisms. Possible Cons:  Only for those ready to suspend disbelief from a flagpole. Valuable Lesson: Don’t stress too much over cover art. Finding comparable works to Harmony Lost was no easy task; the tale is a mixture: a dash of Sci Fi, alternate reality, an atypical romance, a struggle to the

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