Another Space in Time

http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Helmet-Matthew-Cameron-ebook/dp/B00537SKMA Scowen has created a very exciting story from the mix of "evidence", hypothesis, and hyperbole that is the history of New Zealand before 1769. The alternating chapters of possible 16th Century Spanish discovery and an equally plausible present day story are knitted together very well. As with history everywhere, the most easily accessible "truths" come from amongst the records of the victorious and not from those of the defeated. Taking this factor into account this fiction builds a believable plot. I loved the way Scowen blended together the "known" and the theoretical in creating this realistically paced thriller. He wasted little of his wide cultural experiences either, as he even weaves in some recently acquired knowledge of Switzerland. I include here a paragraph of background to help those unfamiliar with New Zealand gain a feel for this book's foundations. I would be di...

http://www.amazon.com/Born-a-Refugee-ebook/dp/B003A4IEFG This is a deep, rich, poignant and profoundly humanistic book. It is also one of the best "political" books I have ever read. The central thesis, a family that could be any one's neighbours anywhere of Earth, except that they are struggling against the crush of a "foreign" military occupation, living between Jerusalem and Ramallah, is brilliantly constructed. Whilst telling one extended family's story Hallaj very cleverly keeps the reader linked to the massive historical waves convulsing the nowadays lands of Abraham. The chosen device, the start of chapter historic, headline, quote, works very well. Haaaj is a very good reader of people. Her characters are totally believable, and her understanding of the issues facing stateless people walking their own ancestors' lands seems to an outsider to be sharp and profound. Politicians who really care for the pursuit of peace should read this book,...

http://www.amazon.com/Alexios-Before-Dying-ebook/dp/B006P1VRAA First off, this is a very well written book, and a very good example of the sort of original work that self-publishing has saved from the traditional publishing houses waste-bins. Perhaps in more enlightened times, ones less focused on the bogey of profit before enterprise, Chance would have found a main stream publisher. Fortunately ePublishing allows inventive authors to ignore the traditional paths. This is a thinker's read, not a high-brow pretentious one, but definitely cerebral. Amongst my early thoughts was the idea that I was reading a selection of short stories. Particularly the first few chapters can be read as self-contained pieces. By the end of chapter four I realised there was a thread, one that I failed to really see until the very end. I became increasingly aware of a need to concentrate more fully. I love the diversity of Chance's characters, or partial characters might be a more accurate des...