SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Murphy’s Luck 2: Revenge of the Jinx by Benjamin Laskin
Murphy’s Luck 2: Revenge of the Jinx follows a story as wacky as the characters – Murphy Drummer, an infinitely unlucky man, finds himself again in a sticky situation: the middle of a bank robbery. There, his bad luck seems to be contagious, and his efforts foil the robbery and garner the attention of the FBI. The story is fast-paced and consistently funny, throwing the reader into the hurricane that is the life of Murphy Drummer.
Laskin writes with a light and humorous touch, portraying the absurd in such a clear and matter of fact way that you can’t help […]
A clever and creative origin story, Children of the Gods by Konrad Koenigsmann presents another potential explanation for humanity’s origins in an expansive and erudite work of fiction.
In a glade near Limerick, Ireland, a troupe of actors gather for their 20th anniversary production of Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” unaware of a plot by real Feyland fairies to sabotage the performance and end the production for good. Del and Finn, planted among the actors, work to turn the cast against each other with the help of magic dust.
Karma’s Envoy by Kevan Houser is very clear in its mission to displace the reader along with Todd, the main character, in a narrative that is at once humorous and haunting.
In Berlin Butterfly: Ensnare, author Leah Moyes has presented a truly human story of heartache and familial devotion during the Cold War in East Berlin.
The Prisoner of Zurenda: Warrior from Olympus is an epic work of mythic fantasy, weaving Greek mythology into an entertaining work of fiction. More fit for younger readers, it boasts characters with a moral compass – a quality that is famously devoid among the Greek Gods.
Imagine if the entirety of humanity, all of its wrong-doings and misgivings, were to be judged by a superior being of an infallible race? That is the question C.J Odle tackles in Startoucher, opening up a fascinating investigation into the morality of the human race and what we could do to halt our potential downfall.