Book Review - Black Ice

I have read every Brad Thor book that he’s written. He is really good at coming up with something new to keep readers interested, which he did yet again. This book tended to move a bit slower than some of his books in the past, but it still kept me reading and interested. I like Scot Harvath’s new love interest.

One of the many reasons why I like the Thriller genre is we as readers get to experience many different parts of the world as if we were there. This book did that for me. The setting is mostly in Norway, Oslo and Kirkenes, but also the Svalbard Archepelago. I now have a desire to visit Kirkenes and the snow hotel, but I don’t think I could handle as cold as the winters get there. Maybe the fall since one of my bucket list items it to see the Aurora Borealis.

I do recommend Brad Thor as always. Thank you, Brad, and keep them coming.

Book Review - Where the Crawdads Sing

When a book is on the NYT Best Seller list for weeks on end, I tend to pay attention and end up reading it. Rarely am I disappointed, believing that the book has been there so long for a reason. I was not disappointed at all with Where the Crawdads Sing, and was fairly surprised with how much I liked it. It’s not normally one that I would have picked up.

I like books that stick with you after reading them. Usually that is because something at the end happens that makes you think, which this book certainly did me. I love books that have a surprising twist in the end but do so in a satisfying way. This book left me satisfied to the point that I am actually looking forward of the movie adaption that is in the works. I do recommend this book, even if it is not in the genre that you would normally read.

Making the world a better place

I have always enjoyed the short video below. If everyone had this type of attitude, the world would sure be a better place. I play this video if I’m going through a rough spell to give me hope. It inspires me to be better. I was surprised to find that it ends up being a Thai Life Insurance commercial, lol.

Nature: a Powerful Force

Visited the Great Falls area on the Maryland, USA side. The photos don’t do justice to the volume of water that was flowing through these falls. Not close to Niagara Falls, but still impressive. I have always wanted to go visit Iguazu Falls down in South America.

Book Review - The Kaiser's Web

Sorry, it’s been a few months and some of you have inquired of me. I have been traveling a bit lately, which I will post shortly. That never keeps me from reading, though.

I recently read Steve Berry’s The Kaiser’s Web. I have read all his books and he does a great job fictionalizing history. The premise in this book is not necessarily if Adolph Hitler actually escaped but why did Eva Braun visit him just before, did she make it out, was there progeny for Adolph Hitler. It is an interesting premise that I have entertained in the past. Steve Berry always does a great job making it exciting yet interesting. I do recommend this one.

Book Review - Ready Player Two

I saw Ready Player One in theaters (remember those days before coronavirus?) before I read the book, which is rare for me, because normally I read the book first. I so liked the movie that I read the book. I am usually disappointed in one over the other but I really liked both the movie and the book, even though they were different as normally expected.

I was excited to read Ready Player Two because of my previous experience. Ernest Cline does a great job with this one too. Carries on with the same characters but still has an interesting premise. I don’t want to give anything away, but if you liked the first book, you will most likely enjoy this one also.

Cover Reveal

I’m excited to reveal the cover of book 2 in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy. It is called Pillars of Hercules. Here it is!

I still need to go through a bit of editing but it is coming soon! I promise!

Book Review - The Last Druid

Just finished what is supposed to be the last book of the entire Shannara saga. My impression is that this does not mean Terry Brooks won’t write any more in the Shannara series, though he hasn’t said so, but he didn’t want to pass away without finishing the saga as other authors have done.

Having said that, I have mixed emotions. Terry Brooks has created such a rich and descriptive world for over 40 years and Shannara was one of the series that helped create my love for reading back in my teens. Though now that I am older I prefer to read thrillers or adventure novels, the Shannara saga will always hold a place in my heart. To this day Elfstones of Shannara is still my favorite fantasy novel ever.

With this last book, The Druid of Shannara, Terry Brooks did a great job of making it still feel like a fresh story, yet brought in characters and artifacts from the past. It was a good ending to what has been a great saga. Some day I’m am going to sit down and reread the Word and the Void series straight through all of the Shannara series to relive the experience again. Very well done. Thank you Terry Brooks!

Hike and recent picture

I really need to get an updated picture on my bio, social media, and Amazon author pages. That picture is the most professional one that I have but it’s from almost twenty years ago. I’m much older than that picture.

I recently went on a hike near my home. I did have my mask with me, but didn’t have it on for the picture. Hope all of you are during well through all of this COVID-19 craziness. I have never been through or seen anything like this. Anyway, below is a much more recent picture taken just a few weeks ago.

Book Review: Near Dark

Finished the latest book by Brad Thor. I have read all 20 books by this author. It’s usually difficult for an author not to sound competitive with the same protagonist placed in similar situations. Brad Thor has found a way to keep it fresh. You can tell that he works to improve his writing and craft. Love the cover on this one.

In this one Scott Harvath, the main protagonist, has a contract out on his life, attracting many hitmen. Scott Harvath hasn’t faced this type of situation in the past. Brad Thor tends to surprise you with introducing new and interesting characters and shocks you with the death of longstanding characters to keep it feeling like you and the protagonist are progressing. Hats off to this latest book, Near Dark, which I really enjoyed. If you haven’t read Brad Thor and like the thriller genre, I would recommend him.

Revision of Missing

Just had a little revision done for Missing. The evolution from Lost to Missing has been an interesting journey. I felt the cover of Lost was to Harlequin Romance-ish. I hate it when books don’t deliver on the cover. This story was all about each character helping the other to become better, adventure and romance, overcoming self and trials, figuring out why we have this overwhelming need to feel loved, etc.

So I had the cover revised to Missing, especially when potential readers wondered whether Lost was linked to the popular TV show (which it is not in any way). This last revision was simply to soften the top edge, remove some figures in the title lettering, and a different font for the author. I am really pleased with how it turned out. The designers did a fantastic job. I feel like it captures much of the dual meanings that the story encapsulates. Hope you enjoy it too.

Speaking of new covers…the second book in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy to be revealed shortly!

Cover for Book 2: Legacy of Atlantis

Just contracted with my book cover designers for Book 2 in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy. They are about 4-5 months out in booking, so should be right in line with releasing it later this year.

Book title to be revealed soon! Almost there after so many years!

Quick Update

Hope everyone is coping well with this coronavirus situation. My heart aches to hear some that have been affected by this.

Just jumping on to give a quick update since I haven’t been on for a few months. When coronavirus hit, both of my jobs became very taxing but now both are starting to slow down. I should have more time this summer than I have had in more than a decade…hopefully. I plan on finishing up the second book in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy and begin the editing process. My goal is to have it out by November of this year.

Thank you for your patience and all of your inquiries. I am so excited to get this one out to you. It is why I started writing. I’ll do a better job in keeping you updated.

Please take care and stay safe,

Bryan

What a View

Traveled just over a month ago to Dead Horse Point State Park. I wish the picture here could do the view justice. One of the most impressive views I’ve ever seen. The river rounding Horseshoe Bend is what you see below. Legend is from where I am standing taking the picture, horses could see or smell the water below and died trying to get down to the river.

Book Review

Just finished a pretty good book. I tend to read thrillers as you would expect and just finished Empire of Lies by Raymond Khoury. It is a what if… kind of thriller, meaning what if something had happened in the past that changed the course of history. It’s one that makes you think and an entertaining kind of story as Raymond Khoury usually does. Some time travel involved and worth the read. The kind that makes you think.

Stand alone books

I have been getting inquiries if the books in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy are stand alone novels or if one needs to read them sequentially to understand what is happening in the story. Unlike Missing, which is a stand alone novel with different characters than the Atlantis series, one would need to read the first book in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy to understand what is happening in subsequent books since the second book picks up where the first book ended. The third book will be the same. Currently I am planning on ending the story of the Robinsons and the search for Atlantis with the third book and moving on to the next story.

I am so excited to release the next books in the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy. They have been really fun to write. The characters are really developing. By the way, so many of you have yet to leave reviews. I would sure appreciate it if you would so that prospective readers know what kind of a ride they’re in for :)

Thank you all

Thank you!

Thank you so, so much for all of the support. I have almost finished the final edits for Missing. So excited to finish up book 2 of the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy. For those that would like a preview copy of Edge of Atlantis with the purpose of leaving a review, please fill out the request under the Contact link.

For those of you that requested copies of Missing, please feel free to leave a review on Amazon so those thinking of purchasing the book will know what they are getting into. Really, the reviews help go a long ways in convincing a prospective reader that the time will be worth their while…that they’re in for a fun ride!

Thank you again for all of you support. I have the best readers in the world!!

So many requests!!

Wow! I thank you for all of the support. I have the most wonderful readers. I didn’t expect such an overwhelming response to preview Missing. I am planning on releasing it July 1 and I have raised my goal to get 100 reviews July 1 or soon after to help prospective readers know what kind of a book they’re reading.

With so many requests, I don’t know if I can get everyone a physical copy. So in the next week or so, I will be emailing those that requested a copy a digital copy. If you absolutely need a physical copy, please let me know and I can get one to you.

Thank you, thank you for all of the support. This is a book that I am proud of and I believe that everyone can get something to apply to their closest relationships. Lost was just not quite me and people were relating it to the television series, though it’s not even close.

You all are so wonderful. Be watching for my new release Missing July 1.

Revision of Lost!

Haven’t blogged in a while only because I have been rewriting and rewriting Lost. The original just wasn’t me. My beta readers were correct. I was trying to appeal to two different markets and risked disappointing both of them.

So, though I really, really love how the second book of the Legacy of Atlantis trilogy is coming along, I have been putting all of my energy into rewriting Lost the way it should have been. It is now going through the editing process and I will use my time allotted with the company contracted for the cover page for this purpose. It will have a new title since the beta readers thought it was just too much like the TV series. In truth, I thought it might be good for marketing but it is definitely not anything like the TV series. So I determined that they were correct.

So the cover will change from a Harlequin Romance looking cover to more of a thriller, because that’s what the book really is, a life-threatening adventure that causes two people to really look at their lives and discover what relationships really mean. I was really exploring can a couple really be one when two people are so very different? And how can a couple be one without losing their own identities?

It’s been a whirlwind of a ride and I have learned a lot through this process. Hopefully the new book will help you in your own relationships - while giving you the thrill ride we all long for.

Until next time, Bryan