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Lead stories from SPR’s ever-growing independent book portal

Review: Hælend’s Ballad by Ian V. Conrey

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 […]

2021-07-30T02:47:14+02:00July 28th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Grimdark: Tales of Exile by Kyle Fox

Grimdark by Kyle Fox

A dauntless fallen knight cuts a bloody trail through a blackened world of demonic horror in Grimdark by Kyle Fox, a hellish, sword-swinging work of dark fantasy. Reading like a vivid transcript of an epic RPG dungeon raid, Fox establishes his Tales of Exile series with a savage tone – visceral descriptions that writhe to life in the imagination, coupled with relentless struggle of both the body and mind.

With the progress of each chapter, Jacobus draws closer to the evil that has conquered and ravished his realm, a desperate attempt to eviscerate the plague of demons that has burned […]

2021-07-27T06:14:51+02:00July 26th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Starmap: An Introductory Pictorial Tour of the Universe by Edward A Ridgill, M.D.

An Introductory Pictorial Tour of the Universe by Edward A Ridgill, M.D

A vibrant and mind-boggling adventure through the cosmos, Starmap: An Introductory Pictorial Tour of the Universe by Edward A Ridgill, M.D. is overflowing with accessible information and unforgettable images. For anyone with even a basic interest in astronomy or the workings of the universe, this coffee table book will provide endless moments of reflection.

The designation as a coffee table book is not meant to slight the very real and fascinating chapters of well-penned information in this astronomical offering. Beginning with a generalized big picture – the universe and our place within it – and scaling all the way up […]

2021-07-27T06:16:47+02:00July 26th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Human Rising by Roar Mikalsen

Human Rising by Roar Mikalsen

Author Roar Mikalsen has crafted a powerful argument against totalitarian thinking, the war on drugs, and other ills of a broken society in Human Rising: The Prohibitionist Psychosis and its Constitutional Implications. The title may be a mouthful, but this is a fascinating dive into the historical precedent, policy, and liberation from the prohibitionist mindset.

Beginning with a psychological and philosophical foundation for the status quo, and explaining how the masses are controlled with relative ease through a multifaceted strategy of fear and scarcity, the author wastes no time in reminding readers that they’re living in a carefully controlled […]

2021-07-12T07:46:05+02:00July 6th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: To Right A Wrong by Roar Mikalsen

 To Right A Wrong by Roar Mikalsen

Unleashing a torrent of evidence and critical analysis on the concept of constitutional law and our troubled relationship to it, To Right A Wrong: A Transpersonal Framework for Constitutional Construction by Roar Mikalsen is a captivating read, and a critical argument for our times.

From the very first page, readers understand that this will be a unique book, one focused on deconstructing the status quo from the foundations through logic and innovative viewpoints, and break down the accepted paradigms of American life. The psychological influence that leads us to collective living, political rule, and ultimately subjugation, is explored in accessible […]

2021-07-12T07:44:31+02:00July 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Not Literary by Auriane de Rudder

Not Literary by Auriane de Rudder

Auriane de Rudder’s collection of short stories Not Literary is a showcase of an original narrative voice and gritty realism.

De Rudder’s stories are peopled with those you see at four AM, drinking like sunrise depended on it; the type of characters you partied with one night that you can barely remember. Reminiscent of Brett Easton Ellis, de Rudder explores many of the same themes – moving the time period from the eighties to the significant trials of this century. De Rudder has captured the aimlessness of post 9/11 youth, raised on cynicism and fear, when there wasn’t much else […]

2021-06-25T04:22:26+02:00June 24th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Generation AI by Katerina Thomas PhD

Generation AI by Katerina Thomas

Delivery a hard dose of reality, and a realistic path forward, author Katerina Thomas neatly outlines the monumental changes coming to our world in the form of artificial intelligence – and how it will affect all of life as we know it – in Generation AI: The Rise of the Resilient Entrepreneur.

Many may be vaguely aware of the AI storm brewing on the horizon – one that will make millions of jobs obsolete as they are done more efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively by hyper-precise machines, or executed expertly by intelligent algorithms. Like so many other looming crises in […]

Review: Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Author Jimmie Martinez captures the raw, beautiful, and painful truths of both the rural and urban South during the 1960s in his YA novel, Summer of Haint Blue. A long-form narrative study on race relations and a deep dive into that tumultuous decade, this novel is draped with Spanish moss and bayou personality, which help to top-dress the strong and compelling plot.

Told through the eyes of Justin Couvillion, a teenage boy coming to terms with his own family history and their Cajun roots, while also trying to understand the racism so embedded in Louisiana, even in his own […]

2021-06-14T07:58:33+02:00June 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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