Book review: Solar Warden book four - Skinwalker by Peter Fuller.

Synopsis:

From the start of this science fiction book, you are thrown into a fierce battle. Scarecrow, Sandy and their teams must make split-second decisions as the enemy tries to overtake them.

The enemy is sly and wicked with so many devices of illusions to its exposure that you struggle to keep up. Wondering if the humans would ever stand a chance against the diabolical plans manufactured against them.

When Michael, the archangel, and his host appeared, I was spellbound. Whether here on earth or the vastness of space, God is always watching over us. A reminder that the Heavenly Father is never out of reach. God restores.

This is a story of good versus evil summarized in a science fiction story with all the right elements to capture the reader’s attention.

With the main villain and his dedicated reptiles following him, they spear flawless assaults against the humans, but soon the human aspect gets the upper hand. The price is high, and the scores stacked against them, yet the human tenacity is the one attribute that keeps this heroic team standing. A victory for humankind.

The visuals of this book are lifelike and real. The descriptions of each character and situations, as well as the narrative, take you into the heart of the story as you fight alongside the humans to overpower the evil.

A must read to all science fiction readers. 

Buy links

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Excerpt

She looked up at the firefight now underway in both corridors. Despite her Marine’s best efforts, the enemy was still advancing on their position. It was slow, but there was no way they could hold off the reptilian’s assault long enough to get the outpost personnel to safety, not to mention her own men. The first sergeant pulled back to join his honcho as she conversed with the corporal.

“The snakeheads are messing with our transporter,” she said to her first sergeant. “They’re using a dampening field generator. The corporal says it’ll take hours to evacuate the outpost.”

“We don’t have hours, Colonel.” the first sergeant replied in his deep baritone voice.

“I’d give us 40 minutes tops, before we’re overrun.”

“Then we have to find the snakehead generator and take it out.”

“Well, Colonel, good news is, the enemy transporters have all shut down.” He thrust his scanner into her face. “I count only 283 snakehead grunts, but in these cramped hallways, their lesser numbers won’t matter. We’re evenly matched, and they’re a harder target to eliminate. They’re going to wear us down, and we’ll have to fight a rearguard action until they back us right through the wardroom doors. We can’t hold ‘em, Ma’am. We need to get those civilians to safety in minutes, not hours.”

“I agree, First Sergeant. Sandy clicked the comm and continued, “Corporal, keep trying to move personnel through the transporter as quickly as you can. We’re going to try and locate the snakehead generator and destroy it. Richardson out.”

Sandy turned back to her first sergeant. “Let me see that scanner.” She took the device from her subordinate and scrutinized the display. “Let’s see where they have this generator located. We have a comprehensive schematic of this outpost. Maybe we can circumvent the snakeheads and flank them.” Sandy manipulated the controls on the scanner so it would search for the disruptive frequency of the enemy generator while several of her Marine’s lobbed pulse-grenades at the advancing reptilian force. They detonated with an ear-splitting report that would have deafened every defender in the confined space of the hallway had it not been for the TAPS (Tactical Audio Protection System) incorporated into their helmets.

“Where is it? Where is it?” Sandy scanned the display, looking for the alien tech.

“There.” The first sergeant pointed to the bottom corner of the ARI floating above the scanner where it indicated the position of the generator.

“Okay, where is that relative to us?” Sandy manipulated the scanner and found their location on the ARI schematic.

“Hmmm, it’s not that far, Colonel,” the first sergeant said. “We could drop down into the sublevel here, and sneak past beneath the snakeheads. We could use our own dampening field generators to mask our signal.”

“Did we bring any with us?” “Private Kelly has a couple. He’s back in the wardroom.” “Alright, go retrieve them. I’ll be right on your six.” The first sergeant turned and headed away from the fray as Sandy tapped her comm. “Scrivens, Richardson. Come in, over.”

“Scrivens. You’re lima-charlie, over.”

“Mark, I need to execute a search and destroy mission. Can you spare any of your Red Boots, over?”

“We’re havin’ fun givin’ the snakeheads a bloody nose over here, so yeah, I could let you have a fire team, Colonel. Would that be enough, or do you need a squad, over?”

“One fire team ought to do it. Have them meet me in the wardroom. Richardson out.”  

Sandy burst through the doors of the wardroom, and what she found there made her heart sink.

Only about ten of the outpost personnel had gotten through the transporter to safety, none of them female. There was no line with women in the front, and her Marines were struggling to hold back a seething, churning mass of humanity, all of whom were frantic to reach the transporter and escape. Everyone was shouting and screaming, their eyes wild with fear and desperation, clawing at the Marines, attempting to overpower them and reach the transporter.

Corporal Adams was at the transporter controls, fighting to activate it once more. He managed to succeed, and the panel lit up with its requisite rainbow of colored light. When the crowd saw it spring to life, the cacophony jumped to a new level, and everyone went mad with a frenzied panic to reach it and escape their nightmare situation.

 

 

Book Review: Jim’s Pterodactyl is an intriguing novel by Andrew R. Williams.

Amazon / Goodreads  / LibraryThing / Reedsy 

Book Blurb:

In this egg-straordinary tale, Jim Godwin has an unexpected delivery that takes a hilariously unexpected turn. 

Imagine a world where ancient creatures collide with everyday life, and you’ll find yourself in the midst of this dark comedy.

The story revolves around Jim Godwin, who finds himself with an unexpected and ancient guest—a pterodactyl!

As the plot unfolds, mishaps, humour, and perhaps a touch of cheese await readers. 

So let’s meet Ollie!  The cheese-eating Pterodactyl.

Caldwell Ellis commissions a 'find and retrieve' mission in Papua New Guinea to locate Ropen eggs and prove to the world that Pterodactyls still exist. (Ropen is the local name for Pterodactyls).

An egg is stolen from a Pterodactyl’s nest and sent back to the UK but is delivered to Jim Godwin by mistake.

Jim is advised to dump the egg in a waste bin, but he is too kind-hearted to do that to a living creature. 

Then the egg hatches and Jim and Moira call the new-born baby “Ollie”.

But Jim is filled with trepidation. 

Will Ollie grow into a monster with a 30-foot wingspan? 

Will Ollie become the second Tipham Vampire? 

Then there’s the food issue. Ollie develops a liking for cheese.

 Is she going to eat them out of house-and- home?

But most of their fears are groundless.

 It turns out that Ollie is a clever soul, who bonds with Jim and Moira and communicates telepathically and verbally.

However, Ollie’s existence creates all kinds of trouble and adventures for the Tipham crew! 

Review

Secrets, greed, and old pals are all back in this tongue in the cheek fantasy story from the author Andrew Williams.

Jim and Moira’s story really captures the imagination of any reader. I have learned about them in Jim’s Revenge, a heartfelt and interesting plot with lots of mayhem and unsavoury characters. In Jim’s Revenge, Moira was the victim of a conniving blackmailer, and Jim helped her in a very nifty way. Teaching us that there is still room for old school heroism.

In Jim’s Pterodactyl, the two are at it again. Some of the old characters are back and new ones are introduced with the author’s typical English humour style and good plotline.

This time we are taken to a cottage in the countryside where all kinds of interesting and crazy things happen when Moira inherits this place. Upon investigation of the cottage, Jim realizes early on that something is up to this place. Especially when they receive a package from Papua New Genia with a very sinister message attached to it. A package that will keep them on their toes and defy all scientific logic.

The Tipham vampire and the ghost of Cunningham added to the adventurous plotline as the pair delves into the many clues, and secrets left by Caldwell Ellis.

Ollie’s antics and understanding of human behaviour added another layer of intrigue and adventure as you get to know the people and their motives.

A fun read that every reader will enjoy.

 

Excerpt:

“Snakes!” Sam said.

“What type of snakes?”

Jim smiled at his youngest grandson and shrugged, “I don’t know. A man is coming to take them away shortly.”

“Will they bite him,” Sam said.

Jim’s smile increased, “I hope not. Besides, he’s used to handling snakes.”

Ian cut in, “Can we see the snakes before they go, Grandpa Godwin?”

Tommy Godwin, the boy’s father, stuck his oar in, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Snakes can be dangerous.”

“They’re in tanks with lids on top,” Jim replied. “The snakes can’t get out and harm anyone.”

Tommy deliberately changed the subject, “So, is Moira moving out then?”

The question annoyed Jim. Ever since Moira had come to stay with him, Tommy had been sniping and making unsubtle suggestions that she was a gold digger, only interested in his money. Worse, Tommy’s comments lacked subtlety, leaving Moira with little doubt that he wanted her to leave Jim’s apartment. Not wishing to start another argument, Jim didn’t lock horns with his son. Instead, he pointed out the obvious, “We’ve got to clear Cunningham Cottage out first, and that could take some time. That’s why Moira’s gone there today to start sorting things out.”

“So she’s down there now, eh!” Tommy said.

“Yes,” Jim replied, avoiding the real truth. Although the cottage needed sorting out, Moira had decided to go shopping when she knew Tommy was calling. She’d high-tailed it to avoid another confrontation.

Sam repeated his request, “Can we see the snakes before the man takes them away, Grandpa?”

Jim said, “If your Dad says it’s okay. Then, yes.” When Tommy finally gave in, Jim glanced at Ian and said, “Would you and your mates like to earn a bit of money?”

 Ian was suspicious, “Doing what?”

“Helping us get stuff out of the loft at the cottage,” Jim said, “Moira doesn’t want me to go up there. She thinks I’m too old. She thinks I’ll fall out of the loft hatch. It won’t take long, and I will pay for your time.”

When Tommy opened his mouth, wanting to throw in his six pennies worth, Jim quickly added, “It’s only moving boxes of books and things like that. Nothing heavy.”

Ian asked, “Can Gerry Fulstrum and Mick Ormrod help, too, if they want to?”

“That’s why I said you and your mates,” Jim replied and began negotiating pay rates. Once Ian had telephoned his friends and the helper’s rates were agreed upon, Ian said, “When we come around to help, can we look at the snakes?”

“As long as they haven’t gone before you get there,” Jim replied. Sensing he might miss out, Ian said, “Can we come down on Saturday?”

Jim smiled, “I’m sure that would be fine.”

***

Cunningham Cottage Tipham Tommy Steals a Key

When they arrived at Cunningham Cottage on Saturday, Moira ignored the drive and pulled up at the kerb because she wanted to be away before Tommy, Jim’s son, turned up.

Jim matched her thoughts by glancing at his watch and saying, “Tommy said he would drop the boys off at eleven o’clock. Are you going to go shopping as I suggested?”

At the mention of Tommy’s name, Moira reacted like a gazelle picking up the scent of a lion on the wind. She said, “That’s what we agreed.”

Jim’s mind flashed back to the last confrontation between Moira and Tommy. It had been most unpleasant in the extreme. It had been so bad that Jim thought Moira might move out to avoid the constant sniping. But amazingly, she hadn’t.

She added, “Just one thing. While I’m away, don’t let the boys run wild.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let the boys interfere with anything,” Jim promised. “I’ll set the tables up in the garage and label them as agreed. Then we will just bring everything downstairs and put them in the garage for sorting, as discussed.”

Satisfied that Jim would follow her instructions, Moira waited for Jim to unload the portable tables they’d borrowed from work. Once the car was unloaded, Jim glanced at his watch again, “It’s nearly half ten. Knowing Tommy, he’ll probably turn up early. I bet he’ll be wanting to look around.”

“Okay,” Moira said, “I’ll go, but if anything is damaged, I’ll hold you responsible. And make sure that no one falls through the ceiling. Some of the floorboards in the loft are very flimsy.”

Jim walked towards the cottage, key in hand and shouted back, “Stop fussing, woman; we’ll be fine, and I’ll call you when Tommy leaves, and you can come back.”

Once Moira had driven off, Jim let himself in and noted a letter on the hall floor. The name on the envelope was Ellis Parkinson, and it had been sent from Papua New Guinea. After wondering if he should open it, Jim changed his mind. As the letter looked as if it had been wrongly delivered, he tossed it on top of the meter cupboard.

He carried the tables into the garage and labelled them. He then went to the kitchen. Feeling a draught, Jim let his senses guide him. Finding the brick with the message attached, Jim knew who was behind the attack. Although the note on the brick didn’t provide a full name, only someone like Paul Tupal would continue a vendetta even though he was banged up in the clink. He considered what he should say to Moira if she asked questions. As Paul Tupal had made Moira’s life hell when they’d worked in the same office and had tried to rape her, Jim decided the least said the better. Wanting to remove the evidence, he took the brick outside and dropped it into the dustbin, cleared the broken glass and blocked the window internally with a sheet of stout cardboard; he then called Jamie Berry, an odd job man he knew and arranged to replace the glass.

***

Jim shook his head, “Edmundo J. Cunningham was a wealthy man; he built Cunningham Hall. Why would his ghost be here?” Moira pointed to another formal picture showing Cunningham with two children and a younger woman dressed in old-fashioned clothes.

She said, “I’m guessing, but I think Cunningham had a mistress who lived here.”

“In those days,” Jim said, “Living over the brush was frowned upon.”

“This cottage is in the middle of nowhere,” Moira replied icily. “In those days, the road probably wouldn’t have even been macadamized. It would just have been a farm track. Besides, people like Edmundo J. Cunningham wrote their own rules.”

“It still doesn’t answer why Cunningham’s ghost may be haunting this place,” Jim replied.

Moira tugged his arm again and pointed, “Look at this.” Jim glanced at the next frame. Inside, there was the reproduction of an old newspaper cutting.

The headline said, “The Tipham Vampire Strikes Again!” Underneath was an artist’s sketch and a lurid tale of a large, winged creature chasing a man through the woods. According to the report, the beast eventually caught his victim and attacked him.

The article concluded with the note that the victim might have been killed if a local farmer armed with a shotgun hadn’t scared the winged attacker away.

While they were still staring at the sketch, Ian walked into the room with an old laptop computer in one hand and said, “We found this in the loft.”

Jim took it off him and said, “I wonder if it works?”

“You’ll have to charge it up and see.”