Posted on

The Best April Book Reviews for You

Best January 2022

The Best April Book Reviews for You, curated by me, Andy Zach. I’ve written eight books (one’s being published) and I’m writing another one. I know something about books, having read maybe 4-5,000 over my life. Let’s start with the latest one I’ve read:

Cloud-Castles
by Dave Freer (Goodreads Author)

Best April Book Reviews
Cloud Castles
Cloud Castles

Andy Zach‘s review

Apr 21, 2022 

really liked it

bookshelves: humorscience-fiction

The first thing you notice about Dave Freer’s novel Cloud-Castles is the setting: a gas giant with a habitable zone in the atmosphere. Alien technology genetically engineering plant life that floats in the atmosphere and a whole ecosystem of flying creatures. There is an anti-gravity city, which has degenerated into a slum, and floating castles, owned by two warring alien species who use humans as slaves.

That setting is enough to make me read the book. But I also love the premise: a rich, but innocent scion, Augustus Thistlewood III, of humanity’s wealthiest family, is there to practice philanthropy toward the poor, downtrodden masses, using his recently acquired sociology degree.

Needless to say, his suitcase is quickly stolen by a ‘helpful’ street urchin Briz. Looking through his stuff, she realizes he has nothing to pawn and is a complete innocent, but very wealthy. Briz returns the suitcase and offers to escort him around the dangerous port town.

Then, adventures happen.

Highly recommended.

Andy Zach

Your Second Best April Book Review

Ace zombie reporter Sam Melvin has been fired – by his wife, Lisa. Their paper, The Midley Beacon, is barely surviving. How will they make ends meet?

Sam decides to give being a detective a try. He advertises his business – but his zombie experience comes with it. All across the country, people bring their zombie problems to Sam. Squirrels? Bulls? Sam’s on the case. But can his experience with zombie turkeys transfer?

Sam finds out in a series of deadly adventures – and so will you when you listen to this audiobook. See if you can keep from dying from laughter.

Brandi McGraw

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Fun Zombie Times!

Get your free audiobook here!

This was so much fun to listen to!!

Brandi McGraw

Keep Reading for Another Best April Book Review

Pilgrim 2 (Pilgrim, #2)
by 

Harmon Cooper (Goodreads Author)

Best April Book Reviews
Pilgrim 2 cover

Book 2 amps up the action, the risks, and the rewards

really liked it

bookshelves: fantasyaction-adventure

Author Harmon Cooper continues his fantasy series about Pilgrim, the retired assassin turned rural good guy and advocate for magical creatures.

Too bad his former life keeps intruding as assassins seek to kill him and complete the contract on him. He decides to rid himself of the problem once and for all by killing his former teacher, who took out the contract on him. And other assassin teachers who are trying to complete the contract.

It turns out assassins are the least of his worries. He’s got a half-brother who is a full-blooded demon and out to kill him.

Good luck, Pilgrim.

Andy Zach‘s review

Now, for something completely different.

Best April Book Reviews
Cover of The Stray

The Stray
by Dick King-Smith

Apr 02, 2022 

it was amazing

bookshelves: children-sfamilyfiction

Once more, author Dick King-Smith has an unlikely protagonist: a 75-year-old woman named Henny who has run away from a nursing home. She uses her last 50 pounds to take a train to the beach, in first-class luxury.

She writes about her loneliness in the sand. Since her boyfriend died in World War II she never married,

Then she runs into some cute, red-haired, children. That’s when the adventure begins.

Andy Zach‘s review

So what do you think of my books, my reviews? Let me know by clicking here.

Posted on

2022 Best Science Stories So Far – and Reviews

Writer's Block: My Experience

2022 Best Science Stories So Far. We’re only five weeks into 2022 and here are some great science stories. Plus, I’ve been piling up reviews I want to share with you.

Let’s begin now!

2022 Best Science Stories – Military SciFi

The first military scifi story with automatic aiming was by Heinlein. He used it on a battleship with all of its cannons and guns controlled by computer.

Speaking of Heinlein, here’s a review of his book, Starship Troopers:

Starship Troopers

2022 Best Science Stories
Click to get

…Thinking he was safer if he moved out of Los Angeles (because at the time it was considered a nuclear target), he moves to Colorado only to find out years later that the military had built NORAD only 7 miles from his home.

So angered by the events around him, he wrote his most controversial novel to date: ‘Starship Troopers’.  Heinlein was very concerned the US would not survive the Cold War and pens the story as an ode to the military. It was based on the premise that citizenship should be earned and that “freedom is founded on each individual taking responsibility for something greater than himself.” Critics argued that the novel glorified military conflict.

In ‘Starship Troopers,’ Heinlein’s military fought the aliens wearing power suits with high tech robotic exoskeletons that granted humans extraordinary strength and ability. Although it was just fantasy when Heinlein wrote about it, the US military is actually developing a version of Heinlein’s suit.  Using robotic and Nano technology, they are working on a suit that will allow the soldier to be a “superman” on the battlefield.

‘Prophets Of Science Fiction: Robert Heinlein’

Let me know if you’ve read Starship Troopers and what you thought of it. Click here and I’ll give you a free book.

Your Next Science Story

Yup, you read that right. The US Air Force has developed a computer which is a pilot’s assistant.

Where did I hear of that before?

Another SciFi Review

5.0 out of 5 stars

 Short stories to keep you looking for zombies!

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2022

I started by reading this author’s book about the Turkey Apocalypse. I had so much fun (yes, fun, even though the turkeys were out killing everyone and thing in their path!) Then I read about the Undead Mother in law. Even better! Each book gets more accomplished than the next.

This one was a surprise! I thought I had purchased the same book twice (I’ve been known to do that!) However, this is just a group of short stories that are prequels or sequels to the others that fill in some questions I didn’t know I had or start me on a new train of thought. Fun to read! Just make sure you check all wildlife around you for metal caps before you settle in! They’re watching you!


june

More Science Stories Coming Up Next

Regrowing limbs has long been a scifi staple. Looks like we’re making progress!

Then there’s my next science fiction novel, I’m still writing: Secret Supers in Space. I found this article researching Space Camp.

It will be the third novel in my Secret Supers series. Here’s the first:

Jeremy Gentle fell flat on his face at therapy. That was normal since he had cerebral palsy. But his new superpower wasn’t normal. Then, things got weirder when his best friend Dan Elanga got a different superpower. But Dan was still blind. 

Kayla Verdera and Aubrey Wilcosky, two girls in their middle-school special ed class, discovered they too had new superpowers. Kayla was mute and needed a walker. Aubrey lost two legs and used crutches. But they were as powerful as the boys. What should the four friends do? 

Jeremy knew if the word got out, it’d be a media circus. Then, they started fighting crime as the Secret Supers. Who knew a disability could be a perfect disguise? No one would ever think of disabled kids as superheroes. But they ran into problems they never expected.

ACX audiobook

Did you know I give away free audiobooks to my newsletter readers? Join here to get them.

Posted on

What’s New Science and Reviews in 2022?

What's New Science

What’s New Science and Reviews in 2022? Find out as I go through breaking science news and book reviews so far this year.

Let’s begin with military science, which is becoming military SciFi.

A 1000-mile cannon would be revolutionary, but it’d be rather like a hypersonic weapon on a movable platform. One of my favorite military SciFi series is by John Ringo concerning the invasion of the alien Posleen. In it, he has a super cannon mounted on a battleship–and a tank.

Have you read John Ringo’s Posleen/Aldenata series? Let me know and I’ll send you a free copy of:

What's New Science
Zombie Turkeys front cover. Click to get a copy!

If you like free books, reviews, videos, and fun, you’ll get all by signing up for my newsletter. Click here to get your free books.

What’s New Science and Reviews?

Try this new review!

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Contact Butterball! Central Illinois is being taken over by turkeys!

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2021

I really wasn’t expecting much from a book about zombie turkeys. I don’t watch the zombie tv shows or movies, so I was expecting this to be some creepy story where evil wins, and good people are destroyed. Guess what? That’s pretty much how this book was, yet it was done in a fun and entertaining way.

I didn’t think it was hilarious, as some people said. However, it was obviously written tongue in cheek with lots of opportunities to chuckle…if you aren’t worried where the next zombie outbreak is happening!

I moved to Florida from Central Illinois MANY years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised when the zombie plague visited all the small towns back home. I wonder if there really are turkey farms around there? Hmmm, I DO remember lots of corn. Maybe I had better go on Amazon and get me a flame thrower before I go back up to visit!

Grab some snacks, (Anything but corn chips,) and enjoy a good read. (You’ll understand when you finish reading it!)

june

More New Science

I can’t let the new James Webb Space Telescope go by unnoticed.

While we’re on the topic of space, I have to share this video of SpaceX’s science-fiction gantry, designed to catch a returning booster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVUEV2MytJo
SpaceX testing its gantry.

Another New Review

What's New Science What's New Science
Cover of At the End of the World
Review ofAt the End of the World (Black Tide Rising, #7)
Rating 4 of 5 stars
Shelvesread edit
FormatKindle Edition edit
StatusDecember 24, 2021 – Finished Reading2 Show more
Review
Freom Goodreads

Just finished this book tonight. Charles Gannon writes a crackling good story about John Ringo’s zombie apocalypse from a wholly different point of view in a wholly new setting.

The point of view? A sailing ship full of teens learning to sail on the ocean. Their plan is to sail to South Georgia Island off Antarctica. The point of view is Alvaro, a savant from the tough streets of LA with a perfect memory.

He doesn’t hit it off with anyone among the other teens, but especially Chloe–a hyper aggressive and hostile teen from Alaska. The gruff and taciturn captain tasks him with learning to navigate. Then he has to teach it to the other teens–starting with Chloe. First he has to teach her how to read.

By this time the zombie outbreak has begun around the world. The captain maintains radio silence and trains the teens for survival in the new world. Their first challenge is at South Georgia Island.

Altogether a satisfying read. 

Andy Zach’s review

Laugh at this Science-Fiction on Video

This video defies description. But it’s funny, if you use the subtitles, or if you speak Russian.

Russian Spacetrain – Just What You Want

You’re Final Science Fiction Audio Dramatization

In A Pickle dramatization

This short story is in my collection, Oops!

latest science news What's New Science
Oops! short story collection. Click to get.

Oh, and here is the latest review of Oops!

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Short stories to keep you looking for zombies!

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2022

I started by reading this author’s book about the Turkey Apocalypse. I had so much fun (yes, fun, even though the turkeys were out killing everyone and thing in their path!) Then I read about the Undead Mother in law. Even better! Each book gets more accomplished than the next.

This one was a surprise! I thought I had purchased the same book twice (I’ve been known to do that!) However, this is just a group of short stories that are prequels or sequels to the others that fill in some questions I didn’t know I had or start me on a new train of thought.

Fun to read! Just make sure you check all wildlife around you for metal caps before you settle in! They’re watching you!

june