Lead Story | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Milieu by Jay Green

Twenty-three socially weighted poems become one strong stance on what it means to be a young man in America today, and furthermore, what it means to be a Black man, in Jay Green’s emotive Milieu. This essential part of Green’s identity must be highlighted in the turbulent times in which we live, and his personal experience informs his work to a powerful degree.

In this sharply tuned collection, the poems are varied in form, mostly strong, and very rhythmic. The opening work, “Mortal Games,” channels Ralph Ellison’s work such as Invisible Man, as the rich tapestry of […]

Cate Baum2021-09-22T04:19:28+02:00September 21st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Jay Green, Poetry|

Review: Friendship City by Carl H. Mitchell

A terrifying fling fifty years in the future, Friendship City: Hanging by a Thread by Carl H. Mitchell is a twisting, breakneck thriller that feels uncomfortably realistic. Following on directly from the events of Mitchell’s first novel, Sundown, this high-stakes story is riveting, conspiratorial, and seemingly ripped from the current state of the world.

While the sinister World Council schemes to wipe out half the human race (at least) with a deadly virus, Nick Garvey is fighting to keep the new President safe from all sides, watching his daughter fight to find her memories after coming out of a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-26T04:40:30+02:00August 26th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Carl H. Mitchell, Dystopian Fiction|

Review: Godfrey’s Crusade (The Griffin Legends) by Mark Howard

Sacred duties to kings, brothers, and the gods of war collide in Godfrey’s Crusade by Mark Howard, the dynamic first installment of The Griffin Legends series. Blending Arthurian-style questing with riveting battle sequences and a deeply developed world history, this detailed fantasy realm is overflowing with monsters and magic.

Godfrey may be the son of a Duke growing up among the royal court, but he was also raised on tales of bravery and noble sacrifice, and the proud knightly traditions of his family. After earning his sword and knighthood in heroic fashion against wights, vampires, and orcs, he embarks on […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-23T02:47:45+02:00August 23rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy, Mark Howard|

Review: Pandemic by Dieter Gartelman

A novel that strongly argues the point that reality is stranger than fiction, Pandemic by Dieter Gartelman is a fictional retelling of the pandemic still wreaking havoc around the globe, and a hypothetical fate we all may still face. Blending true history with semi-hysterical visions of the future is a storytelling gamble, but Gartelman hits the mark in this prophetic and troubling portrait of America.

Having a diverse range of protagonists provides a uniquely well-rounded perspective on the global crisis at the center of this story. Michael Thompson’s expertise in public health, his wife Dorothy’s intrepid reporting skills, John Othallo’s […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-09T02:49:26+02:00August 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Dieter Gartelman, Dystopian Fiction|

Review: The Machinery of Gravity by David Franklin

Challenging some of the greatest minds and accepted concepts in modern physics, The Machinery of Gravity: Generalized Equivalence by David Franklin is a thought-provoking proposal of a paradigm shift in modern physics.

While this may sound like a daunting work to digest, the author does an exceptionally good job of keeping this high-level material accessible for a broad range of readers. With a disarmingly upfront style of narration, this book lays out our present understanding of physics, alongside streams of fascinating questions that seem to poke holes, or at least find loose threads, in our current conceptions of science.

At […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-03T02:26:56+02:00August 2nd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: David Franklin, Science|

Review: Welcome to Our Real Matrix by Tom Arant

A proposed restructuring to how we think about and experience our perception of reality, Welcome to Our Real Matrix: One With No Escape by Tom Arant presents a powerful argument that will leave some readers questioning everything, in this eyebrow-raising, thought-provoking probe of reality.

The author makes it very clear upfront that the intended audience of this book is everyone, so he defines each technical term he uses and breaks down scientific concepts to their most simplistic foundation. The dissection of teleology, and its habit of invading discussions of the scientifically provable world, is a highlight at the front of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-02T04:05:13+02:00August 1st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science, Social Science, Tom Arant|

Review: Orpheus Rising by Lance Lee

A masterful retelling of a lesser-known myth, Orpheus Rising by Lance Lee places a striking modern lens on the timeless struggles of self-control, sacrifice, grief, and acceptance.

John is a stymied writer who shares a small house with his son, Sam, along with sharing a deep and pervasive emptiness – his wife, Sam’s mother, Madelyn, was taken too soon. However, when a mysterious self-writing book arrives at their door, one that allows them to dictate their dreams, or even bring them to life, the story opens up into a uniquely imaginative world.

After entering the realm of Sam’s imagination, they […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-17T04:03:37+02:00July 30th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Lance Lee, Visionary Fiction|

Review: Hælend’s Ballad by Ian V. Conrey

A book that feels both timeless and timely, Hælend’s Ballad by Ian V. Conrey is a sprawling, character-driven fantasy novel with an unforgettable new world for readers to explore.

Old feuds are rekindled as the Kingdoms of Daecland and Sunder wrestle with a common enemy. Mysterious, inexplicable attacks that leave behind the smell of rot and death signal to some that the end is near – an ancient prophecy is coming true, and the world will soon be consumed. A spiraling story of bloody histories, boundary-breaking magic, and powerful bonds, high-fantasy fans will not be disappointed with this masterfully imagined […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-07-30T02:47:14+02:00July 28th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy, Ian V. Conrey|