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Welcome to The
Popper Gazette
Reviews
Science
Fiction & Fantasy
Horror
Western
All
Other Fiction
Nonfiction
Poetry
Magazine
and E-Zine Reviews
About
Our Reviewers
General Fiction
Reviews
Double
Endorsement
Ritual
Recommended
Review by S. Joan Popek
Ritual is a chilling horror novel that keeps you guessing until the very end. Somewhat reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" written in the 1940's, this book brings chills of what man is capable of doing to his fellow man in the name of the gods.
A young boy is raised in a small farming community with the threat of "The Ritual" and what his father had done before him hanging over his head. He vows to leave this town and get out into the "real" world with his best friend. But love and duty combine to enfold him into a seemingly unbreakable web of suspense and unthinkable acts.
Will he betray his father? Will he find happiness with the one woman he believes he truly loves and will sacrifice anything for? Will he perform the Ritual? Or will he break the bonds of superstition that have bound his family for over a hundred years?
Glenn has woven horror, suspense and tragedy into a remarkable story that has a true surprise ending.
Don't miss this one. It'll keep you reading until you
close the
last page.
SAYING
UNCLE
By Greg F. Gifune
Publisher: December Girl Press
ISBN:1-929653-51-4
Trade Paperback: $15.99 US
Review by J. Thorn
Highly Recommended
This journey through the past of one young man's life is poignant, frightening, disturbing and awesome! Gifune has used his incredible talent to contrast a loving yet confusing childhood with a disturbed adulthood.
He must come to terms with his family's history and his own disappointments. The author takes us on a voyage into the past and through the present as we delve into the inner workings of the human spirit.
The flashbacks meld the story into a complete circle where we come to discover the family skeletons Andy has so carefully hidden away in his memory and the love, of the only father figure he ever had, that he has tried so hard to forget.
This novel elicits all the emotions we can feel. It is an intricate mystery of "what ifs" brought to a surprising conclusion that leaves the reader with a satisfied, yet somber sense of justice done and lost dreams found.
If I learned one thing from this book, it was that we should cherish memories no matter how insignificant they may seem at the time. Times like rolling on the grass and being tickled by someone who loves you. Times like best friends sharing dreams. Times like...well read the book. You'll see.
SAYING UNCLE pushes the boundaries of human emotion and makes you think. Few books do that, and few authors can elicit that feeling. I highly recommend this book to anyone no matter what your genre of choice.
HARDBROILED
Edited by Michael Bracken
BETANCOURT & COMPANY, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Also available online at Wildside press:
http://www.wildsidepress.com/
Hard cover: $32.95
Review by S. Joan Popek
Highly Recommended
This is a delicious collection of hard boiled private eye stories. Here the double entendre is "hardbroiled," which is served up with all the trimmings of really good detective stories.
These fifteen excellent short mystery stories are each wrapped around some kind of food like a bun snuggles around a hot dog creating a delectable fare of mystery, suspense, intrigue and for dessert...just a taste of sweet romance.
The mystery, and in some cases the murder weapon, is unique in each story from burnt toast in "One Lousy Piece of Toast" by Dan Sontup to "Lobster Bisque" by Tim Wohlforth to sweet orange juice in Carol Kilgore's "Mimosa" all the way to steak bones and cheese cake in "Bone Appétit" by Andrew McAleer.
This concoction of expertly prepared stories is one of the best short mystery collections I have had the pleasure to read in a long time. If you like you like your mystery with hard boiled detectives and close to the bone suspense, you'll love HARDBROILED.
Blood Will Tell
By Jean Lorrah
BenBella, 2002, Trade $14.95, 277 pp.
ISBN: 1932199932
Cross Genre
Review by Harriet Klausner
Murphy, Kentucky Police Detective Brandy Mather answers the
call from
nearby Jackson Purchase State
University that a corpse of an old man has been found serenely sitting
in the office of Professor Everett
Land. The body contained identification of the professor, but
the teacher is in his forties, not a
nonagenarian like the deceased. Dental records later confirm
that the dead person is Land, but how did
he double in age seemingly overnight?
While at the University, Brandy meets computer science teacher
Dan Martin,
who explains he helped
Everett with a web site. Dan assists Brandy by accessing Land's
records in hopes of finding a clue. While
working together, Brandy and Dan fall in love with one another.
However, Dan is not what he pretends
to be and soon Brandy questions her sanity as she wonders if she loves
a clever killer or something out of
a horror novel like a vampire?
BLOOD WILL TELL is an exciting romantic police procedural
vampire tale
that is filled with action,
strong sleuthing, and a fresh perspective on the blood-eating creatures
of the night. The tale starts with
action as the mystery opens rather quickly with the puzzler how does
a middle aged person become
geriatric in seemingly hours? From that powerful opening gamut,
the plot smoothly blends elements from
the two genres into a brilliantly conceived, cohesive tale. With
superb lead characters and a complete
support cast, fans of supernatural mysteries or jut vampiric tales
will want to read Jean Lorah’s terrific
novel that shows talent will tell.
Skull
Dance
Author/Pen Name Gerd Balke
ISBN 1-59105-061-8 / 1-59105-086-3
Release Date 2/3/03
Novel Books Inc. http://www.novelbooksinc.com/
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Review by S. Joan Popek
Highly Recommended
This is a timely tale of intrigue, terrorism and greed. It is packed with "edge of your seat" action and soul searching realism. Given the state of the world today as we sit on the brink of war and so soon after the September 11 attack, I was skeptical at first to review a book about terrorists stealing nuclear weapons. But the masterful writing and human insight the author used to tell his story soon had me captivated and oblivious to my "real world" surroundings.
An ex-spy/agent has turned to stealing weapons for the highest bidder, yet his conscience gets in the way when he is commissioned to steal nuclear weapons. He tries to warn his ex-employers of his mission and lands in jail for his efforts.
The indignities and torture he suffers in a foreign jail would cause a normal man's mind to crumble to insanity, but he survives--partially because he is befriended by a strangely calm and self contained fellow prisoner.
The action is fast paced and real as he endeavors to escape from prison. During his adventure, he discovers his own inner strengths and comes to terms with his past and future. His attempts to not stop an eminent nuclear holocaust, lead to his regaining his own humanity.
This is a book worth reading even in today's troubled times. It offers true insight into the minds of terrorists and those who fight against them. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a taste for adventure and intrigue.
