Book Reviews/Suggestions

Started by Wafflecone_Hiatus, May 11, 2011, 12:55:17 PM

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Wafflecone_Hiatus

May 11, 2011, 12:55:17 PM
*Full disclosure, I know the author of this book personally.
 

In the wilds of the internets, there are people. Sometimes creative, sometimes moronic, these people brave a new frontier of literature by virtue of bravery or necessity to eschew traditional publishing methods, advertisements, and printing companies and publish their work independently and digitally- absorbing all costs, losses, and profits on their own. They are the literary equivilant of a small business or startup company.
 
One problem with this system is a self published author has no editing process beyond that which they enforce on themselves. As you can imagine, this leads to alot of fullpriced shovelware, the likes of which has not been seen since the Wii launched.
 
Shards of Glass is not shovelware.
 
A Urban Fantasy/Mystery/Cop Drama, Shards of Glass rests upon the Shadowrunian conciet that Elves, Goblins, Trolls, Werewolves, and other figures of mythology are real, and they exist amongst us in our modern civilization. Despite it's fantasy trappings however, Shards of Glass is rooted in science fiction, and there is a plausible (if ficticious) explaination for every supernatual creature, every bit of 'magic'. Nor is it the dysotopian futurist cyberpunk of Shadowrun, but rather a book set convincingly in a post-modern somewhat more advanced society of today, complete with social problems and crimes of our era.
 
In short, it's NCIS if Gibbs was a golem (yes, a goddamned golem) and that hot computer chick was a dwarf.
 
It reads like an airy, punchy cop drama, giving a unique and realistic look inside the mind and behaviors of a law enforcement professional forced to deal with supernatural crimes. A cross between the FBI and the Men in Black, the ACTF agency that progatonist Nathaniel Leone serves as a part of both enforces law on the supernatural community, and protects it from the very real racism and fear they are expose to from the outside world- in the Alter Future, humanity has not grown anymore accepting of the new or different then they are now.
 
Most impressive to me is where it avoid cliche's and stereotypes- the characters all feel real; not clean cut nor gritty, but rather a sort of sweaty and meaty 'this is totally how a real person would act'. Nathaniel is a smart lead, but he's not omnipotent or omniscient despite all his training and equipment, and the series of murders he investigates slowly forces him to consider everyone he knows as a potential suspect.
 
Backdropped to all of this is a great deal of innuendo- a plot within a plot. Easter eggs are hidden in the story and even in the formatting, drawing to a greater conspiracy that is the actual impetus for the events of the novels. By the end of the book we only begin to realize the real scope and reasonings behind the events of the novel.
 
As I said earlyer, I know the author personally, but I'd like to think that i'm enough of a dick that if it sucked, i'd tell him so to his face. A chapter or two in and I was reading, not because I knew the guy, but because I wanted to know what happened next. And in an age when few books can hold my attention for their length, that is a good thing.
 
If your looking for a fantasy or sci fi novel with a twist of modernity, a good bit of heart and alot of brain on it, you'll enjoy Shards of Glass. There's enough kibble for the details nerds out there, but the story keeps it's punchy impetus and doesn't dwadle on useless detailing that drags down the plot. It strikes a very good balance between narrative and setting, and I highly reconmend it.
 
This is Jeremy Varners first book, and can as of now be purchased for 3 dollars (yes, only 3 dollars) at Smashworlds: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/57492 in multiple file formats. Availibility with other retailers and even printcopies are forthcoming, let me know if your interested and i'll get in touch with him for details. In the meantime I encourage you to read the free preview provided on Smashworlds.
 
You can now get Shards of Glass at:
 
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Shards-of-Glass-ebook/dp/B0051UAJ00/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1306831860&sr=8-3
 
Barnes and Nobles
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shards-of-glass-jeremy-varner/1031248034?ean=2940011294150&itm=1&usri=shards+of+glass
 
diesel
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000057492/Varner-Jeremy-Shards-of-Glass/1.html
 
Jeremy has a Website up at: http://www.jeremyvarner.com/

Secutor

#1
May 12, 2011, 01:40:15 AM


Inspiration for Havel, Vonnegut, & Kundera, this is the funniest and most systematic critiques of western culture (all of it) that I have read, at least. And for all its prescience, scale, and mastery of cultural and professional jargon it is way under-read.

Capek simply reveals to you exactly what would come of the world if it happened that a species of highly-adaptive, bipedial newts were discovered in the Malaysian islands. You can read this in two days—it's great.

TheMacPanther

#2
May 12, 2011, 02:01:30 AM


Neuromancer
Henry Dorsett Case is a low-level hustler in the dystopian underworld of Chiba City, Japan. Once a talented computer hacker, Case was caught stealing from his employer. As punishment for his theft, Case's central nervous system was damaged with a mycotoxin, leaving him unable to use his brain-computer interface to access the global computer network in cyberspace. Unemployable, addicted to drugs, and suicidal, Case desperately searches the Chiba "black clinics" for a miracle cure.

TheMacPanther

#4
June 06, 2011, 04:52:19 AM
I was just wondering if it is possible to get a hardcover copy? I do need a new book and am interested.

Wafflecone_Hiatus

#5
June 06, 2011, 05:28:06 AM
Not yet unfortunatly, he's self publishing so it's pretty much exsclusivly digital, though you can get it in all the major kindle/nook formats. He says he should have softcover in a few weeks/months, formatting for print takes time - he's entirely self funded, too.
 
He does have a newly built website at: http://www.jeremyvarner.com/
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