BOOK REVIEW: Double Barrel by Grey West

If the Civil War Couldn't Beat Him, Who Are A Bunch of Zombies to Try?


So, I'm not one who generally cares much for stories of Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves ... the Undead in general. And the bookshelves (real or virtual) are cluttered lately with stories about Zombies, stories about Vampires, stories about Zombie-killing Vampires -- you name it, it's out there.

What first caught my eye about the Double Barrel series, honestly, was Honest Abe on the cover. It caught my eye, and I just had to see what it was all about. Who would have guessed that I would find the entire series impossible to put down. Incredibly well written and very compelling, I just could not get enough of the Barrel brothers and their Zombie quest!

As for Honest Abe? Well, you can't really call this Historical Fiction, or Alternate History, but it sure does make the story that much more intriguing to imagine that our 16th President was actually involved in a Zombie Apocalypse.

Who says you can't judge a book by it's cover? I say, if Honest Abe is on the cover, it's a MUST READ, as are ALL of the Double Barrel episodes. Very well done!

Send me your comments. Joe

BOOK REVIEW: Admit The Horse by P.G. Abeles

A very well written account (more fact than fiction) of what SHOULD be the most controversial Presidential election in our nation's history (moreso, even, than the election of George W. Bush in 2000). In "Admit The Horse," Abeles weaves the story that the mainstream media refused to report as it happened: the story of an inexperienced community organizer's rise to the highest office in the land, and all of the tactics of questionable legality that helped him to get there.

The story is both colorful and matter-of-fact. It reads like an oral history of current events, as it probably should, given that the author was there through much of the inspiration of the tale.

At this time when we have a second chance to hope for real change in the upcoming election ... and the candidate "O" finally has a record to run on (albeit not a very successful one) ... this book should be required reading for every registered voter before going to the polls this November.

A fantastic telling of a fantastic story that. I highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would review it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Send me your comments. Joe

Book Review: Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker's latest, Immanuel's Veins, is a love story like no other; a frighteningly passionate tale of good versus evil and a sacrificial love so rarely known.

Long time Dekker fans will find themselves in a tale at the same time both strangely new and familiar, with characters they're sure to recognize and others they wouldn't want to see in their worst nightmares. Newcomers to Dekker will find a story of passion and romance, suspense and intrigue, and outright terror as they delve into something very unlike what they might expect from today's Christian fiction genre.

If Dekker has a signature to his style, it's written in invisible ink. Though his characters frequently travel from one novel to the next seemingly unrelated story, the predictability ends there. Immanuel's Veins has found itself banned by publishers in some countries and will certainly leave some readers in shock as Dekker puts his unique spin on a tale of passion and victory like nothing seen in over two-thousand years.

If you haven't read Dekker, now is the time. This is the book. This is the story that you should hear.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review - Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Lost Souls

I'm not what you would call an avid Dean Koontz fan. I don't buy a book because it has his name on it. But I do recognize him as one of the best in his genre today. What Stephen King once had and long ago lost, Dean Koontz still masters -- he is one of today's best at character development, and he proves that again in the fourth installment of his rendition of the "Frankenstein" saga.

I won't rehash either Mary Shelley's original or Koontz's update here. You can search the site or use the Book Review links in the sidebar for my reviews on the three previous "Frankenstein" offerings from Koontz.

In this latest entry to what will surely become a classic in it's own right, Frankenstein's monster, now known as Deucalion, outlives his creator -- killed in an epic battle of good versus evil in New Orleans. But the evil of Doctor Frankenstein a.k.a. Victor Helios lives on in clone form and has moved on to a small backwoods Montana town where he hopes to carry on the work of his predecessor.

With a new method, new technology, and a slightly new vision, the all new Victor Immaculate (or Victor Laben, as he now calls himself) is picking off the town in bite-size chunks. Little does he know that his first creation, his fifth wife (also his own creation), and the New Orleans Police Detectives who shut him down two years earlier, are all hot on his trail and working hard to ensure his failure once again.

Koontz comes through reliably with another page-turner, but left me unsatisfied in several ways. First, not enough Victor and not enough of the Monster. How can you have a Frankenstein book that doesn't center on Frankenstein?

Second, while the whole premise of Frankenstein and his Monster still living 200 years later is made quite believable by Koontz in the first three volumes, somehow the idea of him living on in his clone just doesn't sell well.

Third -- and this one troubled me the most -- with roughly a hundred pages left in the book, it was clear that the ending was nowhere in sight. While the first three volumes all leave room for the story to continue, they also give a sense of closure. In Frankenstein: Lost Souls, there is no closure. The books ends just as the story is truly beginning, and a couple of pages past the ending we learn that we have to wait nearly a year to find out what happens next. I like a cliffhanger as much as the next guy, but this one is ridiculous.

Either way, I can still enthusiastically recommend this as highly as the prior three volumes, but only if you can wait another year to get the ending.

--

Sent from my mobile device

Book Review: The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker {REPOST}

THIS IS A REPOST -- with today's release of The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker, I am reposting my blog tour kickoff review. I highly recommend this book!

Ted Dekker's newest novel, The Bride Collector, due in stores on April 13, 2010, is at once both haunting and moving.

FBI Special Agent Brad Raines is on the trail of a delusional psychopathic killer who believes he is delivering to God His perfect bride. This killer dubbed the Bride Collector, after performing his ritualistic act of horror, leaves each victim with a bridal veil. As Raines and his partner Nikki Holden, a young forensic psychologist with whom Raines shares a mutual attraction, follow The Bride Collector's trail of sacrifice, they are baffled by the complete lack of any actionable evidence at the crime scenes.

Only when The Bride Collector decides to make a game of his offerings to God by enlisting Raines as his opponent does the FBI start to zero in on their suspected target. At the same time, the Bride Collector is zeroing in on his next target -- one of the FBI's very own, Nikki Holden. As Raines and Holden enlist the help of the societal outcasts at the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a private psychiatric center that houses some extremely gifted psychotics and schizophrenics, author Dekker blows the story wide open with some very unexpected and very disturbing revelations.

The Bride Collector is both very typical of Dekker's suspense writing while at the same time very unlike much of his earlier work. Dekker, known by his fans to bury his spiritual message deep within the context of his work, weaves a tale overtly spiritual with a message that all of society needs to hear: every one of us is loved.

All too often today we are busy trying to be better than everyone else. We judge ourselves and each other by some unknown, unseen, unofficial guideline that determines where we belong in society. In doing so, some very special people become societal outcasts while others are elevated to levels of extreme fame and stardom. What we fail to realize is that in God's eyes, we are all equally loved. We are all equally special. We are all famous to God. From the top of the charts to the bottom of the barrel, we are all children of God and recipients of His infinite love. We are all God's favorites.

In The Bride Collector, Dekker expertly delivers this message in a way that comes across loud and clear while never being preachy or condescending. While I have read and reviewed nearly all of Ted Dekker's writing, The Bride Collector stands out from the pack as one of the best -- a critical read! The beginning will entice you. The middle will shock you. The ending will move you.

Check out the next review in The Bride Collector blog tour here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: (from TedDekker.com)

Ted Dekker (born October 24, 1962) is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.

Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were lumped in with ‘Christian Fiction’ a surprisingly large category. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and Fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Green, Black, Red, White and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, and Sinner.

Download Ted Dekker's complete bio.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

Ted Dekker discusses The Bride Collector.


Direct video link.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

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Book Review: Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

Erin Healy's second attempt at co-authoring a work of fiction with leading Christian author Ted Dekker is an undeniable success! In Burn, their follow up to the best-selling novel Kiss, Dekker and Healy weave a tale of suspense and intrigue that will keep you turning the pages long after you know you should be sleeping, or working, or whatever else it is that you steal time from to dig into this compellng tale.

Dekker's signature good versus evil story telling style is unmistakeable, but perfectly complemented by the softer side of the struggle that one assumes must be the work of Healy.

When a young half-Gypsy woman finds herself tempted by evil, dissapointed by her father, and betrayed by her sweetheart all at the same time, her life is thrown into utter turmoil. The tragedy that ensues leaves her with no family, no friends, no home, and little hope for the future.

When fifteen years later she finds that she didn't lose all that she thought she had, her life is turned upside down again. She finds herself in a struggle with that same evil again, and in an inner struggle between her own good and evil natures. When the two sides of her personality become manifest, is she losing her mind? Or is it Divine? And, when once again she faces the ultimate test of her heart, will she fail again? Or will she make it right by doing what is right.

Dekker is a master of his craft, and proves it once again in Burn. Healy seems to have been an attentive student. Together, they have done it again, with a fast-paced page turner that opens the heart and mind to new possibilities.

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Book Review: A Century Turns by William J. Bennett

In bestselling author Bill Bennett's follow up to America: The Last Best Hope, he picks up with the end of the Reagan presidency and carries us through twenty years of political controversy to the historical election of Barack H. Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.

In A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears, Bennett continues what has become for many a textbook of American history, told by one who has lived through much of the modern political scene; one who knows and understands the inner workings of American government.

Bennett shares in a colorful and authoritative, educational and informative way -- one that is totally unaffected by the media bias that most of us have filtered history through all of our lives. Bennett's tale if very open an honest, free of slant to one side or another (while his political leanings are obvious, he does not force his opinion on the reader as an opportunity to slam those with whom he disagrees politically, morally, or philosophically).

If you are a student of politics and history, much of what Bill Bennett shares in A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears will not be new to you -- only told without the filter of the mainstream media's liberal bias. He does, however, tell the story in a very entertaining and relaxing manner. You will very likely find yourself enriched after spending a few hours between the covers of A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker's newest novel, The Bride Collector, due in stores on April 13, 2010, is at once both haunting and moving.

FBI Special Agent Brad Raines is on the trail of a delusional psychopathic killer who believes he is delivering to God His perfect bride. This killer dubbed the Bride Collector, after performing his ritualistic act of horror, leaves each victim with a bridal veil. As Raines and his partner Nikki Holden, a young forensic psychologist with whom Raines shares a mutual attraction, follow The Bride Collector's trail of sacrifice, they are baffled by the complete lack of any actionable evidence at the crime scenes.

Only when The Bride Collector decides to make a game of his offerings to God by enlisting Raines as his opponent does the FBI start to zero in on their suspected target. At the same time, the Bride Collector is zeroing in on his next target -- one of the FBI's very own, Nikki Holden. As Raines and Holden enlist the help of the societal outcasts at the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a private psychiatric center that houses some extremely gifted psychotics and schizophrenics, author Dekker blows the story wide open with some very unexpected and very disturbing revelations.

The Bride Collector is both very typical of Dekker's suspense writing while at the same time very unlike much of his earlier work. Dekker, known by his fans to bury his spiritual message deep within the context of his work, weaves a tale overtly spiritual with a message that all of society needs to hear: every one of us is loved.

All too often today we are busy trying to be better than everyone else. We judge ourselves and each other by some unknown, unseen, unofficial guideline that determines where we belong in society. In doing so, some very special people become societal outcasts while others are elevated to levels of extreme fame and stardom. What we fail to realize is that in God's eyes, we are all equally loved. We are all equally special. We are all famous to God. From the top of the charts to the bottom of the barrel, we are all children of God and recipients of His infinite love. We are all God's favorites.

In The Bride Collector, Dekker expertly delivers this message in a way that comes across loud and clear while never being preachy or condescending. While I have read and reviewed nearly all of Ted Dekker's writing, The Bride Collector stands out from the pack as one of the best -- a critical read! The beginning will entice you. The middle will shock you. The ending will move you.

Check out the next review in The Bride Collector blog tour here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: (from TedDekker.com)

Ted Dekker (born October 24, 1962) is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.

Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were lumped in with ‘Christian Fiction’ a surprisingly large category. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and Fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Green, Black, Red, White and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, and Sinner.

Download Ted Dekker's complete bio.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

Ted Dekker discusses The Bride Collector.


Direct video link.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

One of the most difficult things for parents who are trying to raise their children to serve God can be finding a Biblical text that young ones can understand. Having children aged six and three, this has been a challenge -- until recently.

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible: Bible Storybook, though not the Bible word for word, verse for verse, is Biblical in context. With every couple of pages focusing on one key lesson from the Bible and highlighting key "Heroes" and "Bible Princesses," God's Little Princess Devotional Bible: Bible Storybook has proven to be exactly what we needed for our three-year-old daughter who is obsessed with Princesses.

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible: Bible Storybook includes such things as memory verses, tips on how to be truly beautiful (on the inside, not just the surface), and the all-important (for little girls) focus on girls and women of the Bible who made a difference. There are activities for a parent to do with the child, including singing and role plays, and special sections that focus on how God wants us to love one another (the most important commandment of all).

Each book of the Bible is broken down into two to four pages of insight and activity, making it the perfect bedtime devotional for every little Princess. It has truly been an answer to prayer, as our little Princess looks forward to her devotional every night so much that if she misses it she is disappointed. And best of all: it gives Daddy a little special time with his little girl!

There will be that time when every child needs his or her first "real" Bible, but there's no need to wait until then to start teaching them the Bible. With God's Little Princess Devotional Bible: Bible Storybook, you can get a head start on setting your little Princess on the right path right now.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Bride Collector - Early Thoughts

Trying to figure out Ted Dekker's latest villain in "The Bride Collector." He has woven an intricate web of suspense this time, though that comes as no real surprise.

The book is due out April 13, and the folks at Hachette Book Group have been kind enough to furnish me an Advance Reading Copy. I'll be kicking off the pre-pub blog tour with a review and more on February 12 at http://www.averagejoeamerican.us.

You won't want to miss this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Living Life In The Zone by Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

It's a New Year, and time for New Years Resolutions. Right? Well, no. Normally, I don't make resolutions. It prevents me from failing to keep them. Instead, I make commitments. Not resolutions. Not things that I will do EVERYDAY, but rather things that I hope to get done during the year. Last year, I committed to read through the Bible, and I did. Sure I missed some days, but I actually finished the reading nearly a week early.

This year, I have committed to expand my Bible study beyond just reading the Bible, into doing something a little more -- involved. Enter Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew with their 40-day devotional, Living Life in the Zone: A 40-Day Spiritual Gameplan for Men. I received the book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Bloggers Program and began it immediately. Like many Christian devotional books, Living Life in the Zone: A 40-Day Spiritual Gameplan for Men follows a 40-day plan, calling on the Biblical significance of a forty day period (see Noah, et. al.). But Rote and Pettigrew do something that I haven't found in many of the devotional guides and Bibles that I've researched -- they tailor their devotional to the life of a man.

Calling on their vast experience of working with the men of professional sports as part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Rote and Pettigrew present the life of a man in terms that men can understand. They cover topics such as living a healthy Christian life at work, loving an imperfect woman, dealing with daily stress, and even the oft-taboo topic of improving your sex life from the perspective of a Christian man. I have tried to carve time out of my day every day to spend a little time in the Word under the tutelage of Rote and Pettigrew, and found deep insight into things that I have just taken for granted for years. By spending just fifteen minutes a day pondering the thoughts and words of such pro sports greats as Roger Staubach, Joe Gibbs, John Wooden, and Coach Tony Dungy, I've found myself trying to live more like the man God wants me to be.

It's only a 40-day devotional, and won't require a major commitment on your part to get through this little book. But it just might cause you to make some major commitments you hadn't considered before.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Disclosure(s) of Material Connection:

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Dream On by Aaron Patterson

Aaron Patterson and his hero, Mark Appleton, return in book two of the WJA series, Dream On.

We first met Mark Appleton in Patterson's debut novel, Sweet Dreams, a year ago, and we were wowed! As Appleton makes his return in Dream On, the excitement continues.

Appleton finds himself teaming up with an unlikely ally in Kirk Weston, a former Police Officer believed to be dead. And he finds himself in a titanic struggle with the very personification of evil, as he battles a Russian mafia kingpin also known as the Red Dog.

Dream On is filled with shocking twists and turns that one wouldn't expect from a story such as this. Best of all, the ending promises us great things to come in Patterson's upcoming continuation to the WJA saga, In Your Dreams.

If you haven't yet read Patterson's debut novel, Sweet Dreams, you should start there today. Patterson lays the foundation for the events that follow in Dream On.

Patterson continues to excite and engage readers with his colorful narration and creative dialogue.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Book Review: NKJV Greatest Storeis of the Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers

The Bible. It's the number one selling book of all time, with something like six billion copies sold in more than two-thousand languages and dialects. Whether you prefer something traditional, like the King James Version, or something more contemporary and modern, like The Message, you are sure to find what you're looking for in one of the many, many translations of God's Word.

In NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers, you will find the Bible presented in just a slightly different way. Different, because the Bible is presented as a collection of scripturally accurate stories rather than presented in a book-by-book format divided into Old and New Testaments.

Have you ever wondered just where you can find the story of Christmas? Or the tale of Joseph and his coat of many colors? Or Sampson and Delilah, David and Goliath, or Moses parting the Red Sea? With NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible you simply open up to the table of contents and scroll for what you're looking for, then flip to the appropriate page and read the full scriptural context of the story -- just like that.

While NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible does not present the entire text of the Bible to us from cover to cover, it does present hundreds of favorite Bible stories in an easy to find, easy to read format.

While I would normally choose a translation other than the New King James Version, NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible is presented clearly and I found it quite readable and quite enjoyable. It's a great resource for family devotion times, for home schooling, or just for spending some quiet, personal time with the Word.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

NaNoWriMo 2009

With only two days left in the month of November, I have crossed the 50,000 word finish line for National Novel Writing Month. My novel, the sequel to my first novel is only approximately half complete at 50,000 words, so it looks like I'll be writing well into December.

I'm very pleased with where the story is going and where my characters are taking it (because I lost control long ago when they quit following my direction around word 264 or so). Stay tuned for updates on the editing and eventual publishing process.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

An Excerpt From My #NaNoWriMo Work In Progress

The following is an excerpt from my current work in progress, the sequel to my novel 24 Hours With Spencer Field. This is part of my effort this year in National Novel Writing Month. I would set up the scene for you, but you're just going to have to wait for the whole book to get that. Enjoy...

Ike, who wasn't normally one to stay put for very long, found himself hours later in an abandoned building in the Plainfield Warehouse District, about fifteen minutes west of the speedway. He had no recollection of how he had gotten there or why, or what he had done since arriving. He assumed that he had been sleeping for several hours, and that he had gone there to hide out after killing the police officer who had found him nosing around in Junior's truck.

"Junior," he hissed, for the first time realizing that it had been Junior's face he had stared into when their cars had collided on Tenth Street. "That little coward backed out on me!"

He stood from the cold concrete floor where he had been laying, his body stiff and sore from lying on the cold hard surface for so long. He stretched, and paced. "Why would he back out on me?" he asked himself.

"Little coward just didn't have the guts to go through with it, that's why," he answered.

"But why not?"

"Should have known he'd chicken out when you had to stop and give him a pep talk on the highway."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he said, pacing left, and right, and left, and right, carrying on one end of the conversation or the other as he paced.

"He was always too much of a patriot, anyway, to actually believe that he could be turned on his own country."

"Maybe I should have offered him some of the money."

"Nonsense! That's our money!" he said.

"You mean my money," he corrected.

"Yours, mine, ours -- what's the difference? But now we got us a problem."

"I don't know, you really think so?"

"Of course I think so. He knows you didn't die in the explosions. He knows you weren't there. And since he built the bombs, he knows better than anybody just how the whole thing went down. He's probably running to the police right now and squealing like a stuck pig."

"No, not Junior," he said. "What's he gonna tell them, that he built the bombs for us, but because he chickened out and ran he isn't guilty?"

"If he can point the finger at you, that'll be worth quite a bit to the cops. They get the mastermind behind the whole thing, they'll be willing to deal a little."

"No, I don't think so. He ran. He ran for his life, and he knows that if he goes to the police, well, he would have been better off being blown to bits in that truck."

"So what then?" he asked. "He saw you, you know."

"He saw you, too."

"Good point."

He was silent for several minutes -- both of him -- while he continued to pace the floor of the warehouse.

"He'll be back, you know," he said finally, breaking the silence.

"Who, Junior?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I know."

"So whatcha gonna do?"

"I'm gonna do what he should have done in the first place," he answered. "I'm going to wipe him from the face of the earth."

"Good plan."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Book Review: Merciless by Robin Parrish

In book three of his Dominion trilogy, Merciless, author Robin Parrish wraps up an incredible saga of good versus evil.

When Noah and his family emerged from the ark after the Great Flood, God made him a promise [Genesis 8:30-22], and a sign to remember that promise by [Genesis 9:8-17]. The sign was a rainbow, and the promise was that God would never again destroy all living things, as he had done with the Great Flood.

In Merciless, we finally learn the entire premise behind the Dominion trilogy.

* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *

Imagine if a line of descendants from Cain, the first murderer, existed today in a secret society -- a society with one purpose and one goal: to pick up where God had left off; to free God of his promise made to Noah; to allow God the opportunity to start over again with the human race by taking matters into their own hands and destroying all life on Earth.

The Secretum of Six is just such a society, and they have manufactured and manipulated false prophecy to support their belief that God needs a second chance at the human race. Through the use of three-hundred special rings, including the great Seal of Dominion, the Secretum of Six has called forth the Angel of Death to unleash havoc and destruction upon the Earth. It is up to the wearers of those rings to put a stop to this secret society and restore life as we know it to our planet.

* * * END OF SPOILERS * * *

Author Robin Parrish delivers a thought-provoking tale of "what if" with his Dominion trilogy, coming on strong in book one, laying a solid foundation in book two, and closing with a bang in book three.

If you enjoy mystery, suspense, and intrigue, you cannot be disappointed with the Dominion trilogy.

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