Category: General

Book Review: Deathbringer

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

Authored by: Blake Carpenter

This is book 1 of “The Spellswords Saga”

I don’t think I’ve read a book like this before. The steampunk world in combination with a unique fantasy “magic” system makes for an interesting read. The idea of the spellsword (a magic sword with a specific personality and powers) is unique and the story explains just enough to leave a hint of mystery. The combination of the swordbearer and spellsword together works well to create a partnership that can achieve great things… at some cost.

The main characters are understandable with solid motivations and actions. I felt like Inga’s intro and the story that followed was great, and I could relate a little bit to Kale as well. I came away feeling like Kale’s future direction was unknown, which is not what I hoped for him. The antagonist is an absolutely vile person, and she came off as being a bit of a spoiled kid from a powerful and rich family who finally grew up and seriously applied herself to evil. Effective.

The writing is really well done, easy to read and follow. The characters are well-defined. Excellent editing. The story pacing is well-done, and I like the point of view switch to from 1st person for Inga to 3rd for others. It really works.

Overall, the world is broad and yet unique enough to see many more stories come out. There is a fleshed-out world in place, including a map and historical references that promise future depth. There are currently two other books out and there are even more spellswords that are listed in the index, which means plenty of reading ahead!

Book Review: Last Warriors on the Llano

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

Author: Howard Pelham

This book is not terribly old, but it feels old… and it’s a western, which has fallen out of style in recent years.

I do like older books because they tend to be less frantic and less desperate to meet the modern idea of what keeps readers engaged. The style is excellent and simple.

Last Warriors on the Llano is such an easy read. The writing is so direct that I, as a writer, thought to myself, “Graham, you’ve gotta learn this art!” In the end, the straightforward sincerity of the two main characters is what I loved most.

Cody Carson is a Texas Ranger whose well-earned vacation is interrupted by the murder of a local rancher. While on the ensuing mission to save lives, he meets an unlikely ally, an Indian named Red Wind. Red Wind takes Cody to the Llano Estacado – the Staked Plains – a vast expanse of desert where their friendship and honor are forged in fire.

I could feel the character exuding from these men who became fast friends. This was my first Howard Pelham book, but I plan to read more of his work.

Book review: The Curses We Keep

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

Authored by: Dakota J. Miller

Mostly, I read science fiction, some fantasy, non-fiction, but have never had a taste for horror or anything like it. I generally don’t watch horror movies either. I have never sought out or read a book in this genre or with this topic, so the whole experience is new for me. That being said, I enjoyed this book.

The story is about a family that has moved to the south from Massachusetts in the era of the Salem witch trials in the late 1600s. Something evil came with them, and the story that follows is quite creepy. The twist near the end was definitely unique, and the ending really surprised me. I don’t do spoilers, so you’ll have to read it to find out.

The writing style is dark and purposefully starts a bit angular. It sets the dark tone well. In particular the opening chapters are oppressive. I found myself thinking: “self, what is this poor family doing on this terrible road!?” It lightened up for a bit after that, but it was short lived.

The settings and descriptions are very well done and are easy to imagine. I enjoyed the character groups and how they overlap and interact. The family, the townsfolk, and the natives all have different perspectives and views on the same things. It’s easy to follow and actually makes sense.

The sense of heavy dread works, and the complexity of dealing with the curse and various ways that it touches the characters really makes the story not monochrome. Oddly, there at the end is a glimmer of hope, but not for who I wanted it to be.

Being a debut novel, it’s pretty well done, and worth reading, especially if you like disturbing stories.

The Banished Hen

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

I’ve always had a soft spot for chickens. They taste fantastic, and their eggs are pure gold. But every once in a while, one of them gets a terrible idea: “Hey, those eggs I just laid? Those are snacks.”

Then, like a bad TikTok dance, the habit spreads. Soon my pampered, well-fed hens are throwing an all-you-can-eat egg buffet in the coop, and my daily production drops from respectable to “one sad egg if I’m lucky.”

As the guy who pays the mortgage and buys the feed, I raised my hands to the heavens and loudly declared this behavior unacceptable.

Cue the Great Egg Investigation of 2025. I installed a chicken cam inside the coop like I was filming a feathered episode of Law & Order. After a month of grainy footage and growing suspicion, I finally identified the culprits: two innocent-looking white hens my friend had “generously” gifted us.

I yanked them into poultry solitary confinement for two days.

Miracle of miracles (Fiddler on the Roof, eh?), the egg production jumped to about a dozen a day. Still not peak performance, but suddenly we weren’t living in the Great Egg Famine anymore.

So I did the logical thing: I released one suspect back into the general population and kept the repeat offender (the one with the suspicious black speckle) locked up like the egg-eating felon she is.

Eggs have been flowing like wine ever since. Hallelujah!

The verdict is in: she is officially banished for life. Now she wanders the outer edges of the run like a tragic Shakespearean chicken, staring wistfully at the warm coop, the protective wings of Jimothy the rooster, and the sisterhood she betrayed for a second breakfast.

Doomed to shiver alone through the bleak midwinter, forever separated from the warm, clucking sisterhood she betrayed for a midday snack.

Justice has been served. Extra crispy, if necessary.

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