#NetGalley Book Review: Honor in an Age of Metal and Men by Anthony W. Eichenlaub

This is a good conclusion to the series, with lots of twists.
Honor in an Age of Metal and Men
by Anthony W. Eichenlaub

Publisher : Oak Leaf Cemetery (December 5, 2019)
ASIN : B07XJM1S9F
Print Length : 197 pages
Publication Date : December 5, 2019
File Size : 2117 KB
Genre: Cyberpunk, Futuristic,Sci-Fi, Western
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

War blazes all around, but it's not J.D.'s war. Not this time.
There are two bounties out for Francis William Brown. One alive. One dead. J.D. finally catches the man he's been after all these years when Francis comes without hardly a fight.
But it ain't ever that simple. A bullet in the skull would be proper for what Francis has done but keeping him alive might be the key to ending the war that's tearing Texas apart. J.D. needs to decide if keeping a promise and ending the war is worth the risk of seeing the worst criminal in the history of Texas walk free.
An itch at the back of his skull tells him that maybe all this is part of Francis' plan.
Will he kill Francis in cold blood, or is there still Honor in an Age of Metal and Men?

Review:
J.D. is an ‘older’ survivor of Texas and the wars that devastated the country. J.D. reluctantly works with a metal arm while others around him embrace multiple tech modifications to enhance their bodies. J.D. is a retired sheriff who believes in justice, peace, and honor even though they are difficult concepts to hold onto. J.D. still works sporadically as a bounty hunter and when a contract is issued regarding his long-time nemesis Francis Brown. Actually, there are two bounties – one to bring Francis in alive and one to bring him in dead.

J.D. has a twisted history with Frances since the days when J.D. shot his mother when Frances was only a boy. Over the years Frances has become a notorious criminal and J.D. feels the guilt. As he tries to bring Frances in alive, he gets saddled with a teen girl who claims Frances promised to get her out of her hometown. J.D. faces another bounty hunter group who is willing to bring Frances in dead. If that isn’t enough struggle, J.D. and his replacement, Sheriff Trish, uncover a deadly plot by another crime lord, Casket Jones, that puts the bounty situation on hold. It will take combined efforts of the ‘honorable’ and not so honorable to stop a devastating war crime.

The first book in the series, Justice in an Age of Metal and Men, laid out the characters and the history that supports this conclusion. I may have missed adventures and more conflict by not reading book two, but it wasn’t needed to enjoy this one. I enjoy the creativity and cyberpunk elements of the story. Also, Mr. Eichenlaub mixes a healthy dose of humor with the suspenseful danger. The plot twists are anticipated but still a good surprise when they arrive. I recommend this book to fans of cyberpunk, western and suspense.

This is my last NetGalley book received in 2019. (It only took eight months to get it read!) This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020NetGalley and Alphabet goals.

Book Review: Justice in an Age of Metal and Men by Anthony W. Eichenlaub

I enjoyed reading the first book in this futuristic western lawman series.

Justice in an Age of Metal and Men
(Metal and Men #1)
by Anthony W. Eichenlaub

File Size: 2139 KB
Print Length: 212 pages
Publisher: Oak Leaf Cemetery (March 4, 2014)
ASIN: B00ISKWNC2
Genre: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, Western
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

Does victory mean justice, or is J.D. staring down the barrel at revenge? There was a time that might have been a simple question, but not anymore.
Nothing's easy in the small town of Dead Oak, Texas where the outlaws scour the skies on flying motorcycles, tech warps the minds of witnesses, and a person can't even trust the metal parts of his own body.
But a rancher's been murdered, and J.D. is determined to find the killer. Whether that's revenge or justice, well, probably best to let the bullets decide.

Review:
Jasper Davis Crow, known as J.D., is an old-time sheriff – sort of. He does have a modified metal arm but he doesn’t have all of the high tech that many of the younger officers have. Most who have the ability, take advantage of the body enhancing nanos and tech. J.D. likes his small-town job where crime is mostly manageable even with tough country outlaws. He is faced with a dead rancher that appears to be death by stampede. But his new deputy, Contrisha (Trisha), a highly teched young woman, convinces J.D. to investigate further. After walking the scene more carefully J.D. agrees that there is a murder to solve.

Soon he and Trisha are interrogating corrupt businessmen and outlaws on flying motorcycles. They will be dodging bullets and J.D. will be branded an outlaw himself before he can solve the case. Behind the scenes is a strange child, the son of the murdered rancher. J.D. tries to shield the young boy but he goes through a good deal of trauma which causes consequences for the future.

The story is set in a west where dust storms have destroyed communities as we know them. There are plenty of brawls and chases to keep the story moving along at a fast pace. I listened to part of the book on my Kindle and found that I had to stop and re-read a bit to keep track. I like the well-developed character of J.D. who leans to the past even as the times race forward. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading book 3, Honor, which I have through NetGalley.

Source: 2019 Kindle Purchase. This qualifies for 2020TBR goal.

Audible Book Review: Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron

I did get to really enjoy this story with a nice dragon who has to prove his worth.
Nice Dragons Finish Last
Heartstrikers, Book 1
By: Rachel Aaron
Narrated by: Vikas Adam


Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 11-18-14
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cyberpunk, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Audie Award, Fantasy, 2016
As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don't cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn't fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience. Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ - a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit - Julius has one month to prove he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he's going to need some serious help to survive this test. He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons....
©2014 Rachel Aaron (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
Julius is the youngest and smallest dragon of the Heartstriker clan. He has stayed out of the limelight for his 24 years, hiding in his room, trying to stay out of the way of his tyrannical mother and playing online games with humans. Dragons are magical predators who don’t mix well with humans. But Julius is not aggressive and has no inclination to seek domination over humans. His mother, Bethesda, has had enough. She binds his wings with magic and drops him in the middle of the DFZ, ruins of Old Detroit, where dragons aren’t welcome.

Fortunately, Julius has many brothers and sisters, some of whom are willing to give him a little direction and help. Jessica provides at least a place to sleep for the first night. The eldest, rather strange brother, Bob, who is the clan sear, sets up a bank account with almost $100.00 bucks in it, provides a cell phone and provides advice for the day. His extremely successful brother, Ian,
then offers Julius a job. He is tasked to locate and return a young runaway dragoness, Katya, from a rival clan.

As Julius waits to locate Katya he is approached by a human mage who offers her services to help Julius. Julius hesitates but soon realizes that he can help Marci and maybe she can help him. With illusions provided by Marci’s skills, the pair visits a mage party trying to locate Katya. Before they get to Katya, Julius is threatened by his sister, Chelsie, the very scary clan enforcer, and gets help from his clutch mate, Justin, who is a large warrior dragon. And all along, crazy Bob shares cryptic advice. Even with help from some of his family will Julius be able to pass his mother’s test and stay alive?

I had a little trouble getting unaccustomed to an underachiever protagonist. However, once Marci joined the team, their camaraderie and collaboration pulled me into the story. I liked how Julius revealed his worth in a different way from his clan. I was impressed with the clever, creative imagination Ms. Aaron brings to her characters, world-building and the plot. There is a good mix of humor and danger that make this a good story. I plan to pick up more in the series and recommend this to readers who enjoy a fun, urban fantasy.

Audio Notes: Vikas Adam does a good job with this narration. He provides seamless shifts from the mild voice of Julius, the imperious arrogance of Bethesda, the nervous eagerness of Marci, the craziness of Bob and all of the others. I enjoyed the audio entertainment and will get the next books on Audible too.

Source: 10/30 Audible Daily Deal $4.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goal.

eBook Review: Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff

This is true, scary horror, complete with sci-fi cyber elements.
Investing Isobella
by Jason Werbeloff


File Size: 1417 KB
Print Length: 38 pages
Publication Date: February 20, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01N26RM2Y
Genre: Cyberpunk, Horror, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

Paul Sanders is a desperate man. He and his daughter, Isobella, are weeks away from living in the Gutter.
Enter Jono Falanges, a greasy stockbroker promises Paul all the money he needs, and more. The only catch is, Paul must invest Isobella’s health on the stock market.
Plunge down the slippery slope of morality with Investing Isobella, a horrifying sci-fi novella. You won’t look at your investments the same way, ever again.

Review:
Paul Sanders is afraid he and his beloved daughter, Isobella, will soon be living on the streets. He struggled after the death of his wife and is now, out of work, he is desperate to make the last bit of his funds protect his family. He is afraid to gamble but afraid not to. Paul seeks advice from a slick technology stockbroker. The man convinces Paul that he has an asset he can invest and that the risk is minimal. But Paul doesn’t understand the true deal he is making – it is more life and death than he realizes until much later.

I was intrigued by this presented as a sci-fi horror story. And oh – this is true horror. I winced when I realized the deal he was making and at the end my reaction was “AARGH!” The story is well-plotted and well written. I don’t know if all of the works by Werbeloff are horror and I will have to brace myself to try more from him (having just picked up three more freebies). This is a short story well worth reading especially if you enjoy horror.

Source: April 2018 Free Kindle. This qualifies for 2019TBR/ebook goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: SkyLine: The Dragon Commander - A Military Science Fiction Romance Adventure

This was a quick read; intro to a series.
SkyLine The Dragon Commander
A Military Science Fiction Romance Adventure
by Kennedy King

File Size: 4302 KB
Print Length: 90 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Mind of Khan Studios (October 21, 2018)
ASIN: B07JL9PNKD
Genre: Cyberpunk, Dragon, Fantasy, Military Sci Fi
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

It's 2350. Cold Fusion, AI nanotech cops, and the SkyLine between a dying Earth and a developing Mars are parts of life.
Major General Christopher Droan has survived a crisis. It left him with trauma and a deeper understanding of his dad’s distrust for technology.
Now all he wants is to focus on the love of his life, Sheeba.
It’s a turbulent time to be a Major General, even one resigned to desk work. But the calm can only last so long. When tragedy strikes Precinct 117 in Shanghai, Chris and his unit are forced to gear up again.
What waits for them in the heart of a robot with a beta personality matrix will change the planets on both ends of the SkyLine, mankind, and Major General Christopher Droan, forever.

Review:
Major General Christopher Droan leads a special team who has survived some traumatic battles. They have seen and survived devastating attacks. Droan is trying to put his love life first as he helps his fiancé, Sheeba, plan their wedding. Sheeba is afraid to tell Droan of the nightmares that are increasing. When she’d like to keep Droan close to hand, he is called away to meet his team at the site of a radical attack.

Droan suspects that something is troubling Sheeba but she isn’t telling him the problem. He has no choice but to respond to the call out. A strong precinct in Shanghai has had all of the officers killed but one, Finch. The attack wasn’t from outside, but rather by the AI partners of the officers. Finch only survived because his new partner, DA-Vos, protected him. What, or who, could cause these specialized AI units to turn on their human masters?

The story has intrigue and some strange paranormal twists. Sheeba’s nightmare visions have a strange connection to an unexplained power that challenges Droan. How can Droan deal when confronted with “You cannot shoot a thought”?

I really liked the action and intrigue in the story. Droan’s assignment is a little confusing but I imagine it would come clear in the next book. There is some sexual contact (not vulgar) and some (gruesome) killing. The writing is easy and the story moves quickly. I just feel it could have used a little more depth and clarity. I recommend this to readers who like military sci fi with cyberpunk and dragon elements.

Source: NetGalley 2019. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: Defining Diana by Hayden Trenholm

This is an intriguing sci fi, gene-based, mystery.

Defining Diana
By: Hayden Trenholm
Narrated by: Art Carlson
Series: Steele Chronicles, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 10-14-11
Language: English
Publisher: Iambik Audio Inc
Genre: Cyberpunk, Mystery, Police Procedure, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
"Found naked and alone in a locked room. The beautiful woman was in perfect health - except she was dead... It's 2043 and much has changed: nuclear war, biotechnology and all-powerful corporations have ruled the world....
Now science is taking DNA manipulation to new, unrestricted levels. Superintendent Frank Steele is an old-fashioned cop. He commands a small, elite police unit that is handed all of the bizarre and baffling cases no one else can solve. He knows the money, the murders, missing persons and gruesome body shops are all connected. He knows it starts with the girl....
©2008 Hayden Trenholm (P)2011 Iambik Audio Inc

Review:
Frank Steele is an old-fashioned, alcoholic cop who struggles somewhat in a technically enhanced world in 2043 where biotech cyborgs and humans are as likely to face off as to work together. Frank commands an elite Calgary police team, the Special Detection Unit (SDU). The SDU is assigned to solve cases that baffle everyone else. The team consists of his second, a strong female detective who is distracted by the recent betrayal and abandonment of her husband, a young detective who has chosen to become part biotech and a brash detective who is brutal and psychotic outside of the team. There is also a forensic specialist who has been assigned to them for this latest bizarre case.

The case involves the body of a beautiful young woman who is found dead, naked in a room locked from within. There is no apparent wound or cause of death, nor any means to identify the woman. The team must figure out who she is and how and why she died. Additional murders and missing people provide clues to political involvement and connections with gruesome body shops where the bio techs are either implanting or extracting parts…or both.

The team presses into the investigation but it seems the killer is always one step ahead as though he or she is getting tipped off from a mole within the SDU. This sets the team members eyeing each other with suspicion. If Frank can figure out how all of the pieces connect to the dead woman he is sure he can figure out the rest of the mystery. But just as the team is getting closer to the truth, Frank’s superior disbands the SDU and pulls everyone off the case. Obviously they were stepping on toes and Frank isn’t exactly one to walk away.

This is a wonderfully intriguing mystery told in first person from the primary detective's perspective. There is some language and some gruesome violence that fits a gritty police procedure noir story. The team characters are extremely flawed and purposefully stereotyped. The mystery is well plotted and I like the combination of the crime procedure and cyberpunk elements. I recommend this to those who enjoy noir mystery fiction.

Audio Notes: Art Carlson provided an interesting narration. He doesn’t really provide multiple voice accents but his ‘reading’ seemed to fit the noir style of the story. I suggest anyone interested in the story listen to the sample to determine how they feel about the narration. I found it appropriate and not detracting from the story.

This Sci Fi Mystery is from my TBR shelf; added in 9/2012. This qualifies for my Mount TBR and Audio Challenges.

I realized as I was listening to this that something was familiar. I listened to book 2 in the Steele Chronicles series in 2012.
Steel Whispers by Hayden Trenholm

Audio Book Review: Streets of Payne by Jeff Brackett

This is entertaining with a strong female investigator, lots of action and cyber mystery.

Streets of Payne
Written by: Jeff Brackett
Narrated by: Joy Nash

length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01-07-14
Publisher: Jeffery L Brackett
Genre: Sci Fi, Cyperpunk
My Rating 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Humanity is in the eye of the beholder. But for street-smart detective Amber Payne, it's the eyes that aren't human. Cybernetic implants replaced the organics she lost in the line of duty, and their appearance often causes Amber to doubt her self-worth. Rookie detective Kevin Glass is her partner. And though he may be new, Kevin's unparalleled skill as an elite cyber-surfer makes him an invaluable asset. When Alta Corp contracts the two of them to solve a case of high stakes data theft, they will need every bit of skill, experience, and determination to succeed. For the more they investigate, the more it becomes evident that this case is much more than it appears, and its resolution may forever alter the world in which they live.
©2013 Jeff Brackett (P)2013 Jeff Brackett

Review:
Amber Payne is a street-smart detective and a valuable asset to her employer, Securi-Tech. The company provided Amber with Cybernetic implants when she lost her eyes in an attack by street bangers. Amber may still have nightmares but she doesn’t let that stop her tough investigative talents, and hands-on defensive skills.

Amber is teamed with a rookie detective, Kevin Glass, who is a computer whiz. If she can get him to the computer, he can hack into the information they need to help solve their cases. They are called in by Alta Corp to solve a case of data theft that involves confidential, ‘need to know’ project plans. Amber and Kevin push to uncover the clues to solve the case but when they return to Alta Corp offices to make an arrest they meet unexpected resistance. As they battle the criminal mastermind – or madman as they see him – they uncover startling secrets that could endanger the world… or certainly the world of technology. The resolution of that first case changes their lives as Amber recuperates from crushed legs and Kevin battles inner demons that keep him awake most nights.

Many months later Amber and Kevin are called back to Alta Corp to investigate the kidnapping of one of their high-level computer researchers/analysts. They track down the kidnapper but have to go into the most dangerous part of the city to try to rescue the researcher. Before they can escape safely, Amber is attacked by an armed team equipped with armaments that even Securi-Tech has never seen. As Amber fights against eight enemies, Kevin faces cyber attackers who are making it difficult for him to provide intel to his partner. The battle at both levels is intense, leaving Kevin in a coma.

Amber gets a temporary partner and added assistance from an unexpected source which she isn’t sure she can trust. The clues begin to lead to a horrifying tie-in with the first case. A terrible danger could be released if they aren’t successful in bringing down the threat.

I really enjoyed the kicking action and the well woven mystery. The intense, smart characters and the easy flowing dialogue added to the entertaining mystery. I liked the cyber aspects as an integral element in the suspense. Perhaps a little graphic in violence for any younger or squeamish audience and there is limited cursing with some of that being creative words i.e. not current, real curses. I recommend this to any mystery buff and especially those who like cyber elements.

Audio Notes: Joy Nash does a fine job with the narration. She presents different voices and attitudes fitting the characters. I appreciated this in audio format.

I received this title for free in exchange for an unbiased review. I received the audio from the author through AudioBook Boom. This qualifies for my 2017 Audio Book Challenge.

Book Review (with GIveaway link): Reaching Angelica: Book #2 in the Tag Series by Peter Riva

Another wonderful sci fi adventure from Peter Riva, with engaging plot and characters.
Reaching Angelica: Book #2 in the Tag Series
by Peter Riva

File Size: 1678 KB
Print Length: 340 pages
Publisher: Yucca Publishing (February 2, 2016)
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
ASIN: B01AFE9UVU
Genre: Sci Fi, Cyberpunk
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

In a massive spaceship destined for Alpha Centauri B, with a genesis crew including Zip the telepathic dog, his old friendly nemesis Cramer, and a computer being name Ra (now inhabiting a human form and calling herself Aten), Simon Bank emerges from a hundred-year coma and is hailed as an awakened hero. Stuck with unwanted responsibility, he is forced to try and solve the entire enigma of the universe—a small undertaking—before the spaceship, his friends, and all life on Earth are swatted out of existence by super beings he has accidentally awakened.

Simon’s only hope is to plunge into other dimensions with his mind—into the secrets of the universe’s pan-dimensions—as only he knows how. The fate of all life hangs in the balance as he struggles to prove himself worthy of the Path and the absolute trust his friends place in him. Simon knows all too well that if he fails there is no hope—none at all—for anyone and that includes his best friend, an artificial intelligence computer called Apollo, which he sadly left behind. Besides, Zip would not be pleased, either.

For fans of cyberpunk and classic science fiction, Reaching Angelica is the second book in Peter Riva’s Tag series, the comic, thrilling, and continuing saga of Simon Bank—ex–master system computer wrangler and very unlikely savior of the universe.

Review:
This continues with the characters that I came to enjoy in The Path, with a few twists. It also continues with the dedication to the principals the lead characters chose for their adopted path.

The story is still narrated by Simon Banks, the brilliant codifier who helped parent, if not birth, Apollo (aka Peter) and Ra (nka Aten), two sentient computers. These computers friends helped Simon, with a few select humans like Simon’s oppositional friend, detective Cramer, to spread peace to all of earth creating Simon’s image as a hero.

The mind thoughts are the mature Simon although now he resides in a 10-year-old SynthKid body after waking from a hundred-year coma. Ra has been reborn (downloaded/transferred) and is now a maturing teenage girl known as Aten. Cramer unexpectedly has joined the community on the ship traveling to colonize a new world. There was some concern about Cramer’s comatose state but Simon knows just how to jar him awake resulting in the mature (mostly), cunning of the former detective brimming in his seven-year-old body. Added to these characters is Zip, a telepathic dog on board who attaches himself to the group of heroes.

I enjoy the expanded universe exploration even if some of the scientific theory again passes over my head. It doesn’t hurt my appreciation of the perceived danger and concerted efforts needed to save mankind from extinction. Everyone works their part of the puzzle but, once again, it is Simon who must enter the world of virtual code. He is in a time pressure to locate and either hide from, negotiate with or outwit a superior, universe-controlling entity. It is feared that the entity may view humans as a virus to be wiped out rather than beings who can contribute to the entity’s plan or purpose… if only Simon can figure out what that might be.

The rapport among the characters continues to be fun and invigorating. The sci fi, cyperpunk adventure is fast paced with danger, excitement and a natural humor. This is the second book in the series and I do recommend reading The Path first to get a proper foundation for the characters and the path they are on. I highly recommend both books.

I received this through iRead Tours for an honest review. This qualifies for R in my Alphabet Soup Challenge. See my review of The Path and the Giveaway link*** HERE.***

Praise for Reaching Angelica
“Thrilling moments keep the suspense high in space. . . . The way Riva describes the mysteries of the universe is intriguing. . . . This cyberpunk world has its own laws of stretching brains wide with its mind-bending concepts.”
—Jake Vyper, Fantascize.com

Buy the book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Book Depository   Chapters/Indigo

Full tour schedule can be found at the author tour page at iRead Book Tours.

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