Maryland Sasquatch Massacre by Ethan Richards

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MWSA Review

In The Maryland Sasquatch Massacre, author Ethan Richards has given us a new look into the Sasquatch. Unbeknown to the outside world, a herd of these mythical creatures have found a home in the Savage River State Forest. Eerie Eb, our protagonist, and his team have been hired to find a young woman who has gone missing there.

Author Richards leads the reader along on the search while creating the most formidable environment. Bad weather, thick forests, and ominous sounds would have me dropping out of the search, but Eb and his team carry on. As the title suggests, the climax comes with multiple man versus Sasquatch battles. Who is really hunting who and who will survive become the obvious questions as the reader nears the end of the story. This is a book the avid horror reader or Sasquatch fan should enjoy.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2025)
 

Author's Synopsis

Maryland. Mercenaries. Sasquatch.

Ebenezer "Eerie Eb" Edwards is ready to hang up his rifle. After years in the military and security contracting, he's set on leaving his tactical profession behind and focusing full-time on podcasting. But when a lucrative final contract crosses his path, Eb agrees to one last mission—a search deep into the heart of Savage River State Forest for the missing sister of Cora Rhodes, a wealthy heiress with a fierce determination.

Cora's sister has disappeared into the remote, abandoned forest, and Cora will stop at nothing to find her. With Eb leading the way, they're joined by a band of mercenaries—each with their own specialties and reasons for taking on the job. Together, the team must navigate treacherous terrain, but it's not just the wilderness they have to survive. Something brutal and ancient lurks in the shadows—something far worse than they could have imagined.

This isn't just a search-and-rescue mission. It's a battle for survival against a creature long thought to be myth. As the team members fall one by one, Eb and Cora must rely on each other, pushing their limits as they confront a force of nature no one was prepared for.

In this action-packed thriller, will Eb's final mission be the one that costs him everything? Or will he and Cora survive The Maryland Sasquatch Massacre and uncover the truth about the horrors lurking in the forest?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 162

Word Count: 43217

Walking on the Sea of Clouds by Gray Rinehart

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Author's Synopsis

Before permanent lunar encampments such as Clarke’s Clavius Base (in 2001: A Space Odyssey) or Heinlein’s Luna City (in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress) could be built, there would have to be the first settlers—the first people to set up shop and try to eke out an existence on the Moon. Walking on the Sea of Clouds is the story of such lunar pioneers: two couples, Stormie and Frank Pastorelli and Van and Barbara Richards, determined to survive and succeed in this near-future technological drama about the risks people will take, the emergencies they’ll face, and the sacrifices they’ll make as members of the first commercial lunar colony. In the end, one will decide to leave, one will decide to stay, one will put off deciding … and one will decide to die so another can live.

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi/Horror

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9982092-6-5, 978-0-9982092-7-2, 978-0-9982092-8-9, B07P682ZJW

Dreamscape a Novel & Other Short Stories by Javier Berrellez

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MWSA Review

 

Author's Synopsis

Dreamscape is a story of two unlikely friends, Elly and Jim, who discover they are connected through a dystopian nightmare they happen to share. In this dreamscape, the two are guided by a mysterious entity who reveals that their shared dreams are part of a cosmic plan to save multiple realities. They must learn to trust each other and work as a team before the forces of darkness destroy everything they love. Dreamscape is a thrilling and emotional journey of friendship, adventure, and destiny.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 163

Word Count: 47747

The Shield Before Me by Jamison Whiteman

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MWSA Review

“What was done was done,” asserts the central character in Chapter Twenty-three of Jamison Whiteman’s The Shield Before Us; and most of us have said or thought the same thing at some time. But “Was it?” asks this novel provocatively, taking readers on a journey into a world of science fiction that involves time travel and the potential of changing history.

Dr. Murray Edgeton, scarred by insensitive treatment growing up in small-town West Texas, hates the church he was forced to attend, making him a devoted anti-theist. As a brilliant physicist, he later leads a team of world class scientists to a breakthrough anticipated by Einstein’s theories of relativity that inspires a scheme by which he can debunk Christian teaching.

Utilizing “wormholes” in space and time, Edgeton inserts a team into the moment of Christ’s crucifixion, anticipating that they will find that Jesus was just an ordinary, itinerant preacher of his age, not the actual son of God. With his agents’ return to the present—without the evidence they thought they’d find—he seeks other ways to undermine the Christian church and its influence. But romance enters his world when he meets a young woman who changes his mind about religion. While not immediately converted to her beliefs, he finds himself more sympathetic to the principles she explains—and demonstrates. What should he do now?

The conflict between science and faith continues to drive the story through twists and turns (like the “Portals” of the “Space-Time Continuum”) to a complex conclusion. Alternating scenes in present-day California with events in first-century Palestine, the novel tracks world-renowned thinkers battling to determine the future. At the same time, the book asks us to consider if, given modern technology, travel in time isn’t already close in the real world. Music, one of his characters explains, takes us to other countries and times. Another reminds us that modern cuisine connects ingredients, styles, and tastes from many cultures and periods. That the scientists working on the Einstein Project come from around the world underscores how information moves at light speed in a digital universe. The characters, all well established in their professional careers, seem able to drop what they’re doing, and fly across the country to a distant location after a phone call. Finally, the fact that early disciples were able to spread their teachings across the globe asks us how contemporary social media—Facebook, TikTok, Instagram—now affect the thoughts and behaviors of millions with amazing speed.

As characters with hidden motives pursue different ends, their friends and colleagues do not know that some are from other times and places. Receiving mental and physical shocks, other characters lose their grasp of the time and place they inhabit. Unable to predict the novel’s plot, readers are bounced from possibility to possibility until they reach the end and a strong message about religious persecution in the twenty-first century.

Review by Michael Lund (March 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

In The Shield Before Me, the sequel to The Quietude of Calvary, we once again find Dr. Murray Edgeton; the most brilliant physicist in at least three generations who has unlocked the secrets of time-travel; accessing the Space-Time Continuum in an attempt to alter events from the past. His goal: prevent the spread of Christianity and its role in World history. To accomplish this, he plans to send a team back to First Century Jerusalem and eliminate the Apostles and the early Christian Evangelists. Navy SEALs Declan O'Sullivan and Toma Bodagh who had previously traveled back in time to witness the crucifixion of Jesus, discover Murray’s plan and return to the First Century to stop it. The Shield Before Me flows seamlessly from the research laboratories of the present day to Jerusalem and the Nineveh Plain of the First Century and then continues to the Great Fire of Nero’s Rome as Declan and Toma fight to protect the first Christian communities and the Evangelists as they spread the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 364

Word Count: 126,717

Stories, Legends, and Truths from the Blighted Earth by R.M. Tembreull

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MWSA Review

R. M. Tembreull's Stories, Legends, and Truths is one of the most unique books you will ever read.

Our Mother Earth is protected by a hierarchy of ever more powerful beings, ranging from the "low sentients" to the Guardian Spirits and Elementals. Each stand-alone story is told from the point of view of a different tier, and through the stories the reader comes to understand that our Mother Earth is herself sentient, and that what we call good and evil is actually a constant struggle between the Natural Order and Chaos.

At times told against the backdrop of significant world events, the reader sees how our Earth Mother uses her soldiers to help defend herself when mankind begins to desecrate nature. I particularly enjoyed the story dealing with Nature's forces employed during the Second Battle of the Marne, and also the one which attempts to explain the relationship between canines and man.

Tembreull describes Mother Earth's minions at both their best and their worst. Fans of fantasy would enjoy this interpretation of a living Earth and the war between Order and Chaos.

Review by Rob Ballister (April 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Stories, Legends, and Truths from the Blighted Earth is a book of fictional narratives and artifacts which progressively knit together a hidden world existing outside what humans perceive as our reality. Earth Mother is sentient, and all manner of life on our planet are Her children to whom She gifts sentience of their own. The “spirit essence” or soul is immortal, and all beings progress through many lives. Within this context, sentient life occupies a hierarchy, where the highest tiers are occupied by elementals and Guardian Spirits who are responsible for preserving and maintaining the Natural Order; while those affiliated, coopted, and corrupted by Chaos are continuously trying to disrupt, and ultimately destroy, the balance. There is no such thing as good and evil, just the continual struggle between order and chaos.

The Blighted Earth’s sentient existence, where all life on the planet is connected, reveals a hidden realm and provides a new understanding of our world through the provided stories and artifacts. These tales are described within the context of real-world events and historical conflicts as told from the perspective of various characters occupying the numerous tiers in the Hierarchy of Sentience. Many commonly understood theories of existence and spirituality are reimagined within a new model of the universe where humankind’s place, and our importance within “the All” is very different from what most of us interpret it to be, including the definition of life and lifeforms.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 339

Word Count: 116,931

Steal the Reaper by Todd Hosea

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MWSA Review

Steal the Reaper by Todd Hosea is an expansive sci-fi novel which tells the riveting story of Ava Tan’s daring mission to steal the most advanced starship on earth from North Korea. The author skillfully writes vivid scenes, introduces scores of compelling characters, all set in an authentic feeling near future. Readers who enjoy high-stakes, epic tales that span the globe and beyond should enjoy Todd Hosea’s ambitious novel.

Review by Brad Huestis (March 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

A mysterious spacecraft has crashed in a remote region of North Korea. The ship is now in the hands of a tyrannical dictator who will stop at nothing to unlock its secrets and bring the West to its knees. As tensions rise in the wake of this threat, North Korea’s Supreme Leader is unaware that a small, prototype vessel, known as the Reaper, lies hidden within the wreckage. Its ingenious purpose could either save humanity or lead to its extinction.

Meanwhile, Captain Ava Tan is recruited for the boldest mission in military history: Steal the Reaper. Her orders are to infiltrate North Korea—the most isolated country on the planet—avoid triggering World War III, and pilot an alien vessel that is light years beyond anything she has ever flown. It is a suicide mission that will test Ava’s courage and force her to decide where her loyalties truly lie. Earth’s fate hangs in the balance and the clock is ticking.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 510

Word Count: 190,000

LUNACOM by Rich Wyatt

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MWSA Review

Author Rich Wyatt has created a fascinating setting for his sci-fi novel, LUNACOM. The year is 2062, and the US has a large military presence on the moon to protect its mining activities there. New technologies have made clean energy a reality, but the largest mineral source required to produce this energy is located on the moon. Russia and its allies also have a military presence on the moon safeguarding its mining operations. Tensions between the two nations have increased once again, and many feel it is only time before a shooting conflict will begin. Our protagonist, a young major, leads a group of mid-level officers as they come up with strategies to counter the strike when it comes. However, the Russians have a new technology never seen before by the US. Communication with Earth has been cut off, and defeat now would be catastrophic for the US and its allies. Author Wyatt has written a fresh, new look into the future with his book, LUNACOM. I recommend it.

Review by Bob Doerr (July 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

In the year 2062, the United States Space Corps has one primary mission: oversee the mining operations of the invaluable Helium-3 isotope, which powers most of the world's energy needs. But when the base is suddenly attacked by an unknown, invisible force, the military leaders find themselves cut off from communication with Earth and left to fend for themselves.

With no way to know who or what is behind the attack, tensions rise and alliances fracture as the outpost struggles to defend its resources and personnel against the unrelenting enemy. As the situation grows more desperate, a small group of officers and scientists must work together to uncover the truth and find a way to stop the attackers before it's too late.

Format(s) for review: Kindle Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 194

Word Count: 46000

The Quietude of Calvary, Second Edition by Jamison Whiteman

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Author's Synopsis

Murray Edgeton, the most brilliant physicist in at least three generations believes in nothing but quantifiable and provable science. His life's work is to expand upon Einstein's theory of relativity and in doing so he unlocks the secrets of the space-time continuum. Demonstrating that access to wormholes and space-time curves is possible, he sends a select team of U.S. Military Special Operators from the present time to First Century Judea. Their mission, based upon a closely held secret that Murray has been harboring his entire life, is to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was simply an itinerant preacher from the backwaters of Galilee and did not in fact rise from the dead on the third day. The time travel team makes a shocking discovery of their own on the hill of Calvary and return home to present their findings to an unbelieving world.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 196

Word Count: 66,720

Don't Go There! by Charles A. Rothbard

MWSA Review

Don't Go There! by Charles Rothbard is a rollercoaster of gasps, groans, and head-scratching. Due to mature content, Don’t Go There is certainly not family-friendly.

Disgraced former intelligence soldier, Eric Palmateer, descends into crippling mental illness and defects to Korea, thinking that he can unify the peninsula while developing safe artificial intelligence. Palmateer works diligently to develop a pack of AI dogs and does so successfully.

From there, the story descends into chaos as Eric falls in love with Sora, an active porn star, and aligns himself with kooky Kim Jong Un. In addition to the pack of AI dogs, Eric and Sora take on real dogs that accompany them everywhere.

Don’t Go There misses the mark for Horror and/or Sci-Fi. Readers might find the technical errors, content, or language in this book objectionable. Reader discretion is advised.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Don't Go There! is a story with the perfect blend of everything you want; divine redemption, the future of AI science, hot romance, real political conspiracies, and of course, true love.

At the center of it all is Eric Palmateer, a disgraced former US intelligence soldier suffering from crippling mental illness.

Through a series of twists and turns, Eric's madness proves to be a blessing when Providence works through him to bring about the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and the development of safe and trustworthy AI technology.

Knowing Eric's life leads to these great things, you should definitely root for him... And preemptively forgive him for falling in love with a porn star and aligning himself with Kim Jeong Un along the way.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 206

Word Count: 45790

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The Hidden Lives of Dick & Mary: Two Novellas of Supernatural Suspense by Xavier Poe Kane

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Author's Synopsis: From debut author Xavier Poe Kane comes a paranormal pair of tales surrounding the unusual lives and acquaintances of Dick Fischer and Mary Deacon.

Dick Fisher is a medium, and he and his rookie reality show team of ghost hunters find themselves entrenched in the military history of Jefferson Barracks. "Haunted Houses: Gateway to the West and the Beyond" follows the team in St. Louis, Missouri, as they discover spirits both friend and foe and learn what exactly it took to terrify the soldiers who claimed they weren't afraid of anything.

Mary just wants someone to listen to her and not go running like they've just seen a ghost. In "The Tale of Mary Deacon", a young girl who wishes to go to space begins to get more than she bargained for. As she gets older and the abductions more invasive, she must learn who to trust and how.

Both haunting and emotional, The Hidden Lives of Dick and Mary explores what can happen if you open your mind to the existence of things--and people--that go bump in the night.

Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Format(s): Softcover

ISBN/ASIN: 9781087945149

Into the Stars by James Rosone

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MWSA Review

Into the Stars is an excellent combination of the trajectory of humankind on Earth with familiar players, their conflicts, and resolution—forecast into futurism and the surprising unknown.

Written with a believable plot that has relatability to the current world, the book takes us to a future geopolitical landscape here on Earth. It places the reader in a world with exciting and challenging but very plausible events. What happens to mere earthlings when introduced to a broader universe that includes a technically advanced race that is not open to peaceful coexistence? This page-turner introduces the characters, threads, and settings that make the reader want to turn the page straight into the next volume.

Review by August Uhl (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

The stars are within mankind’s reach…but what awaits in the void may end humanity…

Mars and the Moon have been colonized, piracy runs rampant in the asteroid belts, and a thriving society grows in the depths of space. Humanity prepares to embark upon its greatest journey—the colonization of Alpha Centauri.

Then everything changes…

A deep space reconnaissance probe discovers a new Earth-like planet twelve light-years from Earth’s sun. The probe also finds something unusual, something…unnerving. A new mission is created, a space fleet is formed, and humanity embarks on unraveling the greatest mystery of all—the origins of life itself.

Can the factions of Earth remain united, or will old rivalries and animosities destroy the fragile peace in the face of this terrifying existential threat?

Will exploration prove to be a fatal mistake?

If you love new technologies, fast-paced action and gut-wrenching turns of fate, you’ll love this first book in James Rosone’s military sci-fi series, The Rise of the Republic.

Author Note -- This is not a standalone book. This is book one of what will become a 12-book series once it's completed.

Format(s) for review: Kindle and paper

Review Genre: Science Fiction

Number of Pages:  528

Dreams of Winter: A Forgotten Gods Tale #1 by Christian Warren Freed

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MWSA Review
Author Christian Warren Freed has given us an epic science fiction fantasy in his book Dreams of Winter, A Forgotten Gods Tale. Set in a world, a universe, and a time of its own, Freed has gathered together a fascinating group of characters. Mere mortals have to share this story with Blood Witches, sons of gods, strange creatures, and even a Dark Council. The tale Freed spins is a fascinating one that will keep you reading. This is a classic good versus evil story with the lines often blurred. The characters themselves question their purpose, and the outcome is never certain. As the book evolves, the reader can't help but wonder if there is a mystical hand drawing everyone toward a common conclusion. This is a complicated book, but one that true Sci Fi fans will enjoy.

Review by Bob Doerr (April 2021) 

Author's Synopsis
It is a troubled time, for the old gods are returning and they want the universe back…

Under the rigid guidance of the Conclave, the seven hundred known worlds carve out a new empire with the compassion and wisdom the gods once offered. But a terrible secret, known only to the most powerful, threatens to undo three millennia of progress. The gods are not dead at all. They merely sleep. And they are being hunted.

Senior Inquisitor Tolde Breed is sent to the planet Crimeat to investigate the escape of one of the deadliest beings in the history of the universe: Amongeratix, one of the fabled THREE, sons of the god-king. Tolde arrives on a world where heresy breeds insurrection and war is only a matter of time. Aided by Sister Abigail of the Order of Blood Witches, and a company of Prekhauten Guards, Tolde hurries to find Amongeratix and return him to Conclave custody before he can restart his reign of terror.

What he doesn’t know is that the Three are already operating on Crimeat.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-64585-8, 9781735700038, B0794D68MX

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 382

Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan

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MWSA Review
Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan is an exceptional story that depicts our American service members during a deployment to Iraq. It is exceptional not only in the voice he gives his American and Iraqi characters, but also for the depiction of ghosts, a demon, and an elemental. While snakes, coyotes, jackals, and birds show up sporadically in the beginning chapters of the book—harbingers of nonhuman intervention—the noncorporeal characters do not arrive until after the main character’s mid-tour leave, about halfway through the book. Prior to Mackenzie’s leave, soldiers and Iraqis hold a storytelling contest involving ghost stories, unleashing an unsettling feeling around the FOB and setting the stage for horrors to come.

While most of the action takes place in Iraq, Mackenzie’s leave takes place in America, beginning at an outdoor concert festival in Texas and ending in a small town in Louisiana. Descriptions of places and events are vivid and compelling, and the dialogue is enjoyable (keeping in mind that military members under stress will be using words that some readers may find offensive). More than the ghostly plot line, I found the details and circumstances of what our military forces face during a combat deployment to be enlightening and important.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Sergeant John Mackenzie is on his third deployment to Iraq at the height of combat operations. His overriding goal: get his soldiers home safely. That mission is difficult enough when every day is a fight against snipers, roadside bombs, or just plain old boredom--it becomes impossible when John accidentally awakens two ancient spirits, each bent on destroying the other, collateral damage be damned.

A soul-collecting demon named Moonlit Samuel wants to move up in the hierarchy of evil; a malevolent force of nature known only as taliment destroys everything it touches; and John still faces local insurgents, foreign fighters, a belligerent battalion commander, a greenhorn lieutenant, and questions of his own sanity.

John must find a way to protect his men, save the city, and return to the woman he loves before she becomes just another victim of supernatural combat.

ISBN/ASIN: Paper: 978-1646631735, Hard: 978-1646631759, Kindle: B08G5VLLWR

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 360

House de Gracie by Dennis Maulsby

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MWSA Review

Dennis Maulsby’s House de Gracie is an excellent mix of fantasy fiction and military action that will leave the reader wanting more.

Hugh de Gracie is a worn out, half-blind, shot up military officer who is out of the Army because of his injuries. He doesn’t have long to live, and so he returns to the family mansion to live out his remaining days. While home, he learns two important things. First, being home has completely cured him of any illness, and second, he has started a blood feud with the family of terrorists he killed when escaping Taliban activity. As he learns more of his family history, he realizes that the timelines don’t make sense. His father should be MUCH older than he looks. More and more, as Hugh learns that things are not what they seem, he is hurtling down a path of reckoning with a Muslim fanatic that will see much bloodshed by both families.

While I am not a fan of fantasy fiction, I am a fan of military fiction, and I love how Maulsby weaves both together to create one of the most unique stories I have ever read. The story seems perfectly plausible, even though it shatters the normal boundaries of time and the human relationship with nature. It’s very well done, and a fun read besides. I am absolutely hoping for a sequel!

Review by Rob Ballister (June 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

After ten years in the U.S. Army, Major Hugh de Gracie returns to the five-hundred-year-old family mansion in New York's Adirondack Mountains. A terminal bat-borne disease caught in Afghanistan gives him very little time to reconcile with a family he rejected a decade ago. Only his pending death provides a powerful enough reason to bring him back into an isolated Gothic household of many secrets. His family and their residence -- in both mind and flesh -- are more intimately intertwined than Hugh can possibly imagine.

The illness is not the full extent of his problems. An implacable Taliban enemy made on the battlefield will attempt to destroy him, his family, and his house. Supported by wealthy Saudi interests, the enemy will force a climactic battle on his front lawn.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 978-1-945663-27-7, ASIN: B0843S5X5C
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 315

The Council: Acquiring the Great Orbs by Javier Berrellez

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MWSA Review

The strength of this story is the story itself. It is a mix of aliens, alien tech and human military agencies that are sometimes the good guys and sometimes not. The plot is simple: acquire the orbs. Yet the plot is complicated and takes many turns, sometimes so fast and so exhilarating, you need to re-read the last section to catch your breath and figure out what’s happening.

Characters are not well developed, but may not need to be because the storyline is well developed.

The conclusion is superb and lends itself to future installments of The Council. The story does suffer from technical difficulties that are easily fixed, such as voice, tense and word choice.

Review by Gail Summers (June 2019) 

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Author's Synopsis

 The Council: Acquiring the Great Orbs is fast-paced and intricately plotted science-fiction thriller. Government secrets, alien invasions, and military action combine to make The Council an edge-of-your-seat page-turner. Adam, a government agent for the naval reconnaissance office, or NRO, has been tasked with the menial job of driving a cargo van filled with four large containers – contents unknown – to a burn facility. He has done this every week for the past two years. The job is far below his pay grade as an agent and Adam has grown frustrated. He has also grown increasingly curious as the secrecy and security surrounding his cargo load seem out of proportion to the job. After a secretive satellite recovery mission supported by Adam’s team, he finds himself the victim of an unprovoked attack that lands him in the hospital and being questioned by the police. Before he knows it, something has gone awry with the government mission of which he is a part and Adam is forced to try to put together the pieces. As he slips deeper into the mystery surrounding the operation, Adam begins to realize that the contents of the containers in the cargo van hold great importance. Together with his colleagues and two elite military men they cross paths with, they’re forced to search for answers by crawling through military tunnels and dodging attacks. Intense, intricately plotted, and deeply engaging, The Council: Acquiring the Great Orbs draws readers into the dark and mysterious world of complex government conspiracies, covert military operations, and otherworldly combatants. As Adam races to find answers, readers will find themselves holding their breath, unable to put the book down.

ISBN/ASIN: B07PCPS7BZ
Book Format(s): Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 280

Winterset by Dennis Maulsby

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MWSA Review

Winterset by Dennis Maulsby is a fantastical creation of mystical magical proportions, at once charming and deadly, fanciful and dark. Maulsby has conjured up a feast of short stories featuring Father Donahey, a retired Catholic priest. Donahey, born in Ireland and having served for most of his life in South America, has moved to Winterset, Iowa. He didn’t choose the locale to spend time protecting the world from denizens of destruction; he moved there to enjoy long walks in between reading good books in his retirement. But Winterset is the site of a worldwide inter-dimensional gateway for supernatural beings, most of them of the unfriendly variety. Pulled into the maelstrom of havoc created by otherworld entities, Donahey battles evil, aided by friends who exhibit supernatural powers themselves.

The writing is captivating and intense, placing the reader in the midst of the action—surrounded by the sights, scents, and sensations of cataclysmic struggles—almost as if the reader has been transported into the pages of the book.

Keep your nightlight on.

 Review by Betsy Beard (July 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

The Irish born Father Donahey has retired from many years of service as a Catholic priest in South American countries to Winterset, Iowa. It’s not to be the life of books and long rural walks that he expects. The community and the surrounding area are awash with supernatural creatures. Some are friendly, some not, but all must be dealt with in order to protect his new parish and the wider world from chaos and destruction. The good Father must use all of his education and experience, including his time as a chaplain in the Argentine military during the Falklands war, to meet each challenge.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 978-1-945663-23-9
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 178

The Dragon Soldier's Good Fortune by Robert Goswitz

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MWSA Review

The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune by Robert Goswitz centers around a wonderful legend throughout Vietnamese history of dragon tattoos protecting against evil spirits. Upon arrival in Vietnam, American soldier, Private Ed Lansky, is asked if he’s a dragon or its prey by the first soldier he meets. Soon he becomes convinced his dragon spirit has magical powers to protect him. Lansky believes he has seen an actual dragon several times when he and his unit are in trouble. During his last week in Nam, an ambush threatens to destroy his entire platoon, but his dragon comes to the rescue. After they make it home, one of Lansky’s best buddies has questions for Ed about the dragon, leading Ed to finally conclude the dragon wasn’t his imagination; it was real!

As a Vietnam veteran, I was moved by the description of events and the reality of how things were for those who served. In summary, the story is realistic enough and an enjoyable read.

The overall story has great potential because the flow of the story is fast-moving and realistic. Unfortunately, much was lost by the writer’s use of verbiage that distracted from the flow and made the reader feel disconnected. However, those occasions when a dictionary was needed only distracted for a short time.

Reviewed by Tom Criser (April 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 An ancient king of Vietnam ordered his subjects to cover their arms and thighs with Dragon Tattoos. It was an accepted belief of the times that Dragon Power protected farmers against evil spirits in their rice paddies. A millennium later, Private Ed Lansky faces a different form of evil in those same paddies. As luck would have it, he meets Sergeant Chen, a GI with Dragon Tattoos on his arms. Chen insists Dragon Power is no myth.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781626949539
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 320

Sebastian's Tale by Dylan Weiss

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MWSA Review

In Sebastian's Tale, author Dylan Weiss has written an entertaining story about a young skunk, Sebastian, and his weasel friend during their first year after leaving home. Sebastian was born without his stripes and his friend has an overweight issue. Both are bullied by their peers, but despite these factors, Sebastian learns that an ancient family prophecy claims that he will do great things to save the skunks and weasels. In doing so, he will grow his stripes and become a leader among skunks. When it comes time to leave their family homes, the two have several misadventures, and it's not until they meet a human who has the ability to communicate with all animals that things start to make sense to them. 

This book is an easy read. Sebastian's Tale reinforces the need for humans to take care of the environment and to remember that our encroachment into forest lands impacts the wildlife that is already there.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories about animals and nature.

MWSA Review by Bob Doerr (June 2018)

Author's Synopsis

Sebastian’s Tale is a fast paced, allegorical coming of age adventure.  As the story develops, readers discover, along with our hero, a lovable stripeless skunk, and his sidekick, a clever but oft misguided weasel,
exactly what is destroying Penn’s Woods.

Together Sebastian and Willie learn how to battle this menacing new enemy threatening life as we know it on earth. Although the telling is a fantasy, in reality the author hopes that lessons learned by Sebastian
and his woodland friends are embraced by children and young adults who choose to protect our environment against the degradation brought on by present day pollution.

ISBN/ASIN: B01LWHXS5B
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fantasy/Sci Fi, Young Adult
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Number of Pages: 197
 

Tested by Connie Cockrell

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MWSA Review

The author develops the mystery and challenges of main characters, and their adventure, where you are eager to read further. The story is exceptionally well written with language appropriate for the age group of young adults. The initial chapters leave you a bit confused; however, the author quickly advances the scene to provide a clear understanding of the lead character’s Gift. Both main characters show great strength and determination to accomplish their goal. Each having different strengths and weaknesses which complement each other, creating a durable and capable team. 

It appears the author intentionally left the conclusion open as to what caused the catastrophic event creating challenges to survive in a world seemingly totally destroyed. The main character, Alyssa, has a healing gift she attained at birth, yet is never fully clarified. Kyra, on the other hand, has a physical gift well described. In both cases, the author leaves the story open to future developments and mysteries to keep the reader wanting more. 

The interactions of the individuals in the story shares many good and bad characteristics of humanity, teaching the readers some imperative lessons about mankind and how taxing situations breakdown society. The author develops the importance of self-sacrifice for the betterment of humanity as one of the most important lesson for young readers. Additionally, the author’s female characters deliver well developed heroism for young women to follow in their own future development in society.  Well done!

MWSA Review by Tom Criser (June 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

With winter over, Alyssa and Kyra move on to Harrisburg. They soon find the community they are seeking: A conclave of scientists using their knowledge to assist in their survival. They find much to learn and contribute, and perhaps even finding new love. However, shadows lurk even here. They quickly find that the community is not all that it seems.

Will Kyra and Alyssa be able to stand against the dark side of scientific inquiry? Or will they be tested to failure?

ISBN/ASIN: B079GFDSCD
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi, Young Adult
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 122
 

Space Egg by Brian Wizard

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MWSA Review

A New Look at the Universe that is Entertaining, Spiritual and Intelligent.  I have read about a dozen books by Vietnam veteran author Brian Wizard and have enjoyed all of them for many different reasons; but his newest fantasy / Sci-fi book called Space Egg is really his best creative writing to date. I say to date, because he is already at work on a sequel to this fascinating and mind expanding novel. The opening author’s notes start the reader off with a whole new thought process about divine energy and God and creation. It is enough to hook you right there – then the book gets even more interesting.

The story takes place in Australia where Brian used to live and transports us to northern California and Reno, Nevada – other old vintages of the author’s personal life. I mention that because he has a feel for these places that he captures in mood of the story and through the actions of the characters. This book’s plot will not go logically to where you think the author is drawing the reader to. The twists and turns and events unfold much to your enjoyable surprise.

Wizard has an uncanny ability to make anything sound exciting through his prose and careful use of dialog. He skillfully paints his story with his words but it is his plot idea that makes this book worth reading. The ideas he throws out in the story are really mind bending and expanding. This book can be favorably compared to the works of any of the world’s best fantasy writers. The only difference between the NY Times best selling Sci-fi and fantasy books and this one is that “Space Egg” lacks marketing and so it remains an undiscovered classic.

I read this book until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I was totally absorbed into the story and really wanted to know what happened. This book will please readers who like fantasy and Sci-Fi books but also to those who love a little intellectual stimulus with their entertainment. This is a great read. 

Reviewed by: Bill McDonald (2006)

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Author's Synopsis

If change is as good as a rest, and you're not tired, do you really want a change?

This is the question Ayre Light, pilot, poet and finder of the alien space debris he and his best mate, Billy, dub the Space Egg are forced to ask. Curious as to the makeup of the strange material, Ayre takes a long, strange journey down a path that leads him to discover the half-twist of a Mobius strip, perpetual motion, alien Gathers of such material, and has a short metaphysical visit with Ima Gawd, the Toymaker and creator of Divine Energy. Yet, this truly is a love story.
Space Egg, A Half-Twist of Fate, is Brian Wizard's first Science Fiction story.

This ebook is the original Space Egg story before its two sequels.