Tag: Book Tour Page 1 of 8

EXCERPT from Rift in the Soul by Faith Hunter: Waiting in the MOC’s Foyer

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from Rift in the Soul by Faith Hunter

Waiting in the MOC’s Foyer

Patterns at my feet drew my eye. The foyer had been refloored in white marble. In the center, tiny pieces of gray marble, brass, and glistening steel had been inlaid and formed a pair of blades, the mosaic marble handles crossed. The single-edged blades themselves had been embedded in the floor; they appeared real but were strangely shaped. One blade looked as if an ax had been crossed with a machete and then a dragon had taken a bite out of the unsharp edge. I knew nothing about fighting with blades, but even I could tell the dragon-bitten section was for snagging an opponent’s blade out of their hand. The other blade was similar but without the snagging-dragon-bite, and a longer cutting edge. They were different but they were also clearly a pair of blades intended to be used together. The ends of the blades, where they should have attached to real handles—hilts?—were made of brass or gold and were shaped like dragon snouts, as if the steel was erupting from their mouths. Above and between the crossed blades was a green, faceted square.

“Ingram,” FireWind snapped. There was an edge of “pay attention” in the tone.

“What’s that?” I pointed at the floor.

“Ming’s new crest,” FireWind said, his tone still sharp. “Since she became MOC.”

As if my up-line boss hadn’t just snapped at me, I holstered my weapon and started taking pictures, sending them back to HQ. Aya grunted in approval. I was learning how to read him. I flipped on more lights and took shots of the parlor to the left and the hallways leading off into darkness. According to county records the clan home of the Master of the City was nearly twelve thousand square feet, so I wasn’t getting much of the house, but it was the first time I’d been in a position to film it.

As I worked, Rick explained to me, still a newbie, “It’s customary for the Master of the City, the most powerful Mithran in the territory, to have their crest inlaid in the entry floor of the city’s Council Chambers headquarters, to remind friends and visiting enemies alike who they would have to fight and conquer. Ming is both the MOC and head of the only vampire clan in Knoxville, so her home does double duty.”

Ming had been given MOC status by Jane Yellowrock. I remembered that. When I had taken photos of everything I could without wandering around, I pulled the psy-meter from my pocket and quickly took a reading of Ming’s foyer. The readings were all over the place.

At a warning signal from Rick, I slid the device away.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/ Copyright Faith Hunter

 


Read the rest in Rift in the Soul by Faith Hunter to see what happens from here in this pivotal novel for this universe.

My thanks to Psst…Promotions for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book via NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group) they provided.

COVER REVEAL: Serpentus by A.J. Calvin

Serpentus Cover Reveal Banner

I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour’s Cover Reveal for A.J. Calvin’s Serpentus to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! Before we get to revealing the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all feast on the cover.

Book Details:

Book Title: Serpentus by A.J. Calvin
Series: Standalone related to The Relics of War series
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Length: 250 pg.
Release date: August 4, 2023
Publisher: February 27, 2024 (tentative)

About the Book

Dispatched to Stone Hill to oversee the city’s defenses among nebulous rumors of the Shadow Council’s threat, Owen Greenwaters must rely on the city’s guard and its natural defenses to protect the citizens.

But when an army of mythical hooded ones bolstered by a sea serpent and the Soulless arrive in the wake of a terrible storm, he knows there is little he can do beyond hope the walls hold – and pray to the gods he and Stone Hill’s people will survive.

They are outnumbered, outmatched, and without magical support. Owen is the only knight present in the city. They will be overrun.

The Soulless are merciless and rarely take prisoners, but Owen and the survivors of Stone Hill are exceptions…

And some fates are worse than death.

Book Links

Author Website (where other retailer links will be posted once preorders are set up) ~ Goodreads

About the Author

A.J. CalvinA.J. Calvin is a science fiction/fantasy novelist from Loveland, Colorado. By day, she works as a microbiologist, but in her free time she writes. She lives with her husband, their cat, and a salt water aquarium.

When she is not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ BlueSky

and now…

The Cover

Serpentus Cover

Okay, I don’t know what those things in his hands are called, but they look like they would hurt. My guess is that behind that cover, more than one character will get to find out just how much that’s true.



My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

COVER REVEAL: Traitor’s Tome by Emma L. Adams

Traitor’s Tome  Cover Reveal Banner

I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour’s Cover Reveal for Emma L. Adams’ Traitor’s Tome to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! Before we get to revealing the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all feast on the cover.

Book Details:

Book Title: Traitor’s Tome by Emma L. Adams
Series: Death’s Disciple
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Length: approx. 450 pages
Release date: Kickstarter October 10 – October 26, retail release Feb. 2024
Publisher: Self-Published

About the Book

Several weeks have passed since the capital of Laria narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of the god of death and His followers. Former Captain Yala Palathar is attempting to lie low, but the dead no longer rest easily in their graves, and her role in the battle has drawn attention from potential allies and foes alike.

Niema, too, has been irrecoverably changed by the choices she made during the battle of Dalathar, and journeying home to the Disciples of Life reveals the devastating consequences of her actions. Niema grapples with her desire to protect Yala’s secrets, but when monsters start appearing in the forest, she fears that she’s brought doom upon her own people.

When the Disciples of the Flame come to Yala with the news that a dangerous book used by the god of death’s followers has gone missing, Yala is compelled to seek it out to avert further disaster. Her quest takes her to Setemar, home of the Disciples of the Earth, where her path soon crosses with Kelan and the Disciples of the Sky. It isn’t long before Kelan’s alliance with Yala puts him at odds with his fellow Disciples, and the closer Yala treads to the domain of the god of death, the louder Mekan’s voice whispers in her own ear.

With threats stirring above and below ground, ally is set against ally, and not everyone will survive the calamity that will follow…

Book Links

Kickstarter ~ Goodreads

About the Author

Emma L. AdamsEmma L. Adams spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy novels. She has a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from Lancaster University, where she spent three years exploring the Lake District and penning strange fantastical adventures.

Now, Emma lives in the middle of England and is the international bestselling author of over 50 novels including the world-hopping Alliance series, the urban fantasy Changeling Chronicles series, and the fantasy adventure Relics of Power trilogy. When she’s not immersed in her own fictional universes, Emma can be found with her head in a book, playing video games, or wandering around the world in search of adventure.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

and now…

The Cover

Traitor's Tome Cover

That’s a heckuva cover right there. The Kickstarter gets underway soon, so Adams can put that cover on a hardcover book to make your shelves all the prettier. Be sure to kick some start next week!



My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

EXCERPT from Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel: A Rescue?

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from Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel

Chapter 4

Mikka Jenax
The Redemption

“This is taking too long. Why is this waystation so backed up?”

Mikka Jenax paced the bridge of the Redemption, hands behind her back. She was brooding, but she didn’t care. They had been waiting for over an hour, stuck in the queue.

The waystation wasn’t typically a stopping point for regular traffic, which was what irked Mikka the most. If this was the way orbital traffic was going, rum-running through the sector was going to be a nightmare, but it wasn’t as though she had any other career paths laid out for her.

“A wave of leftover debris from the Infinity.” Kiara Ryson strode across the shuttle, assuming her seat in the cockpit. Mikka shook her head as the woman straightened her faux leather jacket and pulled her sunglasses down over her face.

“I know that, genius, but the Syndicate’s had seven years to clean this mess. I’m tired of it backing up the transport corridors.”

“Just sit back and wait it out. We get paid either way.” Kiara’s matching brown boots found their way onto the edge of the console, and she crossed her legs at the ankles and leaned back. With the woman’s short frame, her feet barely reached the panel from the navigation console’s seat.

Agitation coursed through Mikka’s veins, and she couldn’t calm herself enough to sit. Kiara’s laid-back attitude was usually a godsend, an anchor in her spaceport, but right now, with their next round of credits on the line, it was infuriating. Mikka adjusted her own gray jacket and ran a hand through her coarse black hair before reaching under the counter of the navigational console and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

Might as well enjoy some decent alcohol while we’re waiting. Stars know, there won’t be any once we get to Lunar.

“We’ll get paid for this load,” she said as she poured, “but we’ll be late for the next one. Every hour of delay means credits off our paycheck.”

“And what do you propose we do? There’s a river of debris between the stations we have to navigate around. I’m not about to blow a hole through our engines for a couple chips.”

“I’m not proposing we do anything.” Mikka swilled the drink in her glass, watching as the artificial gravity pulled the droplets against its side, before draining its contents in a single shot. “I just hate sitting around. I’ve got bills to pay.”

“I do too, but you don’t hear me whining.”

“Times are tight. My mother’s not getting any better.”

Pfft.” Kiara waved a hand dismissively. “Times are always tight. You worry too much.”

Mikka bit her tongue as she poured another drink. She sipped this one slowly, allowing the woody taste of the alcohol to coat her tongue and throat as it slipped down. The amber liquid still bore the grit and metallic tint that Lunar whiskey always held, but it was a hell of a lot better than anything she’d find on the moon’s surface. The whiskey’s sharp fire was enough to distract her for a moment, but only barely. They had just picked up a shipment of computer parts and cabbage from Space Dock Eleven—one of their better-paying hauls. But their delivery window was narrow, and the clock was ticking.

If only we could get through this damn debris field.

The space station Infinity had been decommissioned seven years ago. A year later, some Syndicate fat cat decided it was time to put an end to the ghost station’s misery and pushed it into the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in a series of explosions. Whoever that genius was, they hadn’t accounted for the chunks of metal, plastic, and the stars knew what else had been left behind from the explosion that ripped it apart. Instead of spreading, the fragments that were not drawn into the atmosphere clumped together in a hazardous blob. It usually occupied less frequently traveled paths, but over the past month, it had become lodged in the main transport corridor.

“It’s crazy we still can’t go around. These new space routes are getting on my nerves.”

“Easy, Mikka.” Kiara lifted both hands in a conciliatory motion. “We’ll deliver this shipment, pick up a round of Helium or whatever our next load is, and be on our way again before you know it. You might lose an hour or so of sleep, but no harm done. Chill out now and it won’t matter.”

“Looks like I don’t have a choice, do I?” Mikka slammed her glass down harder than she intended, sending a crack through its side. She grasped her temple between her thumb and forefinger, willing the knots above her brow to melt away. She didn’t have time for setbacks, and she was running out of patience. At some point, life had to throw her a bone.

“Is there any chance we can make up for it by taking a double load back?” she asked, hoping the suggestion didn’t come across as desperate.

“You’re really getting worked up, aren’t you?” Kiara commenced picking at the gunk beneath her fingernails with a nail file. “You know the drill—we can only take back what they’ve loaded up for us.”

The Redemption’s systems beeped and hummed around them, almost as if the ship was eagerly anticipating being allowed to continue on its way.

From where she was standing, Mikka could see a panel light blinking on the communications terminal, beeping in an irregular pattern.

“You expecting a call?” Kiara asked.

“Are you kidding? Who do I know? It’s probably just a patrol announcement.”

Kiara grunted, pulling up the details on her own console. “It’s no patrol. I don’t recognize this frequency.”

“Let’s see.” Mikka pulled up the holo-screen on her own console. The semiopaque projection came to life, hovering above her control pad.

A blinking bar of red lit up, displaying an incoming transmission on a frequency Mikka hadn’t seen used in a long time.

“Whoever it is, they’re using an old pirate channel,” she said. “But it’s one that’s been abandoned for years. The Orbital Guard cracked its encryption, and it’s been useless ever since.”

“Pirates?” Kiara’s tone grew serious for the first time all morning. “One of your old friends?” She stared at the panel, her eyes furiously darting between the readings as if considering whether there was danger in merely answering the hail. She ran her palms through her cropped purple hair. “What are we going to do?”

“Hang on!” Mikka lifted a hand toward her. “It could just be someone else found the frequency. Maybe it’s a wrong number.”

Hilarious,” Kiara said, her arms crossed.

“A pirate wouldn’t use this channel; the encryption has been compromised. If they were after our ship, they’d use a different means of communication.” Just the same, only a pirate or the Orbital Guard would have access to the encryption.

The console continued to chirp.

Mikka sighed and leaned over the nearest terminal, tapping the screen. The face of a young woman was projected above her datapad. Her hair was white and cut short, except for a single silver braid that hung down the side of her face. Blue and green beads were tied within it, along with a smaller pull decorated with a few grubby ship parts, metallic shards, and white stones.

Not stones. Bones.

Through the static-filled feed, it was impossible to tell if the bones were human or animal, though Mikka had a pretty good idea.

The woman’s eyes— a smoky gray—were as mysterious as the rest of her, as was the scar that curved down through the top and bottom of her left eye socket, as though someone had tried to blind her.

The woman stood, strapped in to hold her from floating around a craft with no gravity. It was hard to tell through the haze of smoke that filled the cabin, but Mikka recognized the markings of the woman’s vessel.

An escape pod.

The woman didn’t even flinch as sparks and bursts of flame surrounded her. The image flashed in and out, and it was obvious the feed might not last long.

“Thanks for picking up, love. I presume you’re Jax Luana?”

Mikka caught her breath.

She scanned the woman’s features for a hint of recognition, something that would tie this woman to her old life. Even if the woman’s hair or eyes were another color, even if her scar was gone, there wasn’t anything about her that struck Mikka as being familiar.

Besides, she was too young to be someone from Mikka’s past. She was twenty at most, and no one had dared to call Mikka by the name of Jax Luana in seven years. That would have made the person projected before her thirteen when Mikka had left her old life behind. Even aboard a pirate vessel, thirteen would have been far too young. It was possible she could have come across a youth at a bar or port city, but if that were the case, clearly the encounter wasn’t memorable.

Yet somehow this woman recognized her.

“I haven’t used that name in a long time.” Mikka gritted her teeth, attempting to hide her disdain. She absently pulled a knife from her belt, fidgeting with it to both calm her mind and send a message that she was still someone who wasn’t to be messed with. “My name is Mikka Jenax. Who are you? How did you gain access to this channel, and why are you calling me?”

The woman glanced over her shoulder as a sharp pop sounded from somewhere behind her. Her eyes bulged as, presumably, she located whatever the source of the noise had been. She raised a finger, unclipped her safety restraints, and floated off-camera momentarily.

No gravity plating in those old escape pods. Her ship must have been a relic.

Mikka rolled her eyes at Kiara, but her co-navigator didn’t meet her gaze.

“Ah, yes.” The woman reappeared, the cape she had been wearing now gone, revealing sweaty but well-toned shoulders. “The name’s Abigail. And, well, as much as I’d love to get into specifics—this deathtrap is about to break apart. I’d love it if you could give me a lift.”

Mikka groaned. Bringing an unknown woman aboard would be a risk. The woman clearly had a connection to Mikka’s past—a past she wanted to avoid. And something didn’t smell quite right.

“Not without knowing anything about you. You’re calling me on an old, encrypted frequency, referring to me by a name that has been dead for seven years. Can’t blame me for being skeptical.”

“Let’s just say, I’m both a ghost from your past and a damsel in distress. I didn’t come looking for you, love, but my circumstances have become quite . . . dire.” Another burst of flame erupted behind Abigail’s head. “I think we could come to a mutual understanding.

Great. This is just what I need.

“I gave that life up a long time ago,” Mikka insisted.

“Well, even if that is the case . . . could you at least save mine? I’m quite happy with the one I’ve got.”

Mikka cursed. “How much time do you have?”

She knew this was a bad idea, but there’d be no more lives lost because of her. Not if she could help it.

“Um . . .” Abigail’s eyes darted wildly to the surrounding capsule as she punched a few keystrokes on the pod’s display screens. “I’m actually kinda surprised I’m still here. I’m sending you my coordinates. You’re not far.”

Mikka nodded. “We’re on our way. Ping us again if the situation gets worse—but I can’t promise there’ll be anything we’ll be able to do if it does.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” Abigail gave a two-fingered salute accompanied by an impish grin as the screen faded to black.

Chapter 5

Mikka
The Redemption

“Are you insane?”

Kiara was on her feet, hands on her hips, marching toward Mikka.

Mikka raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Look who’s suddenly interested. You could have spoken up before. You kind of left me hanging there.”

“I didn’t expect you to be such an idiot! You can’t bring a pirate on board! We know nothing about her!”

Kiara turned to the console beside her and pulled up a holographic display. Kiara was a master at navigating the Syndicate network, but she still impressed Mikka with how quickly she had pulled up the profile of the woman on the escape pod.

Mikka’s eyes flashed. “Remember whose ship this is. I make the calls here.”

Kiara ignored her as she scrolled through the entry. “Smuggling. Theft. Conspiracy. Murder! Shit, I’m not ready to die today.”

Whatever sense of indifference Kiara had presented a few minutes ago had now disappeared. Being delayed on a job wasn’t something to get worked up about but letting a fugitive on board was another matter.

Understandably so, maybe, but . . .

“I don’t care who she is,” Mikka said. “I’m not leaving her out there to die. Not when she’s asked for our help.”

Kiara wasn’t ready to back down. “How do you know this isn’t a setup to lure us in? A trap to commandeer our ship?”

“She launched herself into a failing escape pod with the sole intent of hijacking a decades-old refurbished orbital trader? Is that what you think? There are easier, more lucrative targets out there.”

“Stranger things have happened.”

A fair point, but . . . No, Mikka couldn’t think of any legitimate reason why anyone would want the Redemption.

“I know how her type operate,” Mikka continued. “Our current payload isn’t worth the effort or the risk.”

“She knew you were here,” Kiara persisted. “That doesn’t raise red flags for you? She’s obviously learned enough to make you a target.”

And there it was. Kiara wasn’t implying the ship was the target.

I am.

The woman’s words hung over Mikka like a solar storm. “I presume you’re Jax Luana?”

Kiara was right: it did raise red flags. Huge, monumental red flags.

The only two people in the entire system who knew Mikka used to go by that name were her own mother and Kiara. Not only that, but Mikka had also undergone dozens of surgical procedures to alter her appearance, until she no longer resembled the woman Abigail had named.

Be that as it may, though, her mind was made up.

“I’m not leaving her out there to die,” Mikka reaffirmed, punching in the coordinates into the ship’s navigation system. “You can cuff her in the cargo hold until we get to Shackleton City if it makes you feel better, but let’s get her ass out of that pod before we decide what to do with her.”

“Toss her out the airlock—that’s what we should do with her,” Kiara muttered under her breath.

“We’re about ten minutes out,” Mikka said, ignoring the remark. “Hopefully, her pod can hold together until then.”

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing if we didn’t make it.”

Mikka grabbed the cracked whiskey glass beside her and hurled it across the shuttle. It landed squarely against an empty wall panel, shattering under the force of the impact. A million pieces of broken glass spread out along the hard paneled floor.

Kiara’s eyes grew wide with horror.

“What the hell is your problem?” Mikka shouted. “That could have been me in that pod! Do you think I didn’t deserve a second chance? Do you think I should have died with my companions? With my friends? Because if you do, you can find another ship.”

Kiara didn’t respond, instead looking bashfully toward her own console.

“Damn it, Kiara! A life’s a life,” Mikka said, composing herself. “Everyone deserves a shot. If someone hadn’t taken a chance on me, I wouldn’t be here now. Enough of the bullshit.”

Fine.” Kiara held her hands up in mock surrender. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She picked up an energy weapon—her trusty SC11 pistol—from beside her station and attached it to her belt. “And don’t think I’m letting her out of my sight. I might help save her life, but I’m not above locking her in the holding cell or calling in a patrol.”

“You call in a patrol and you risk exposing me as well,” Mikka reminded her. “I’m taking a monumental risk here. Don’t forget I have sins I need to atone for, and that pirate’s just admitted she knows more than she should. This is still my ship, Kiara; I may have agreed to split our profit for your expertise, but I’m still the one who calls the shots.”

Mikka tapped the projection before her with a few keystrokes. “I’m sending you the coordinates of the pod. The only thing I’m concerned about is making it back in time to hit our window through the debris field. We’ve got thirty minutes.”

“As long as I’m not the one who ends up out the airlock,” Kiara groused, pulling up her own holographic display. “Just promise me you won’t let her talk you into anything stupid.”

“I’ve got a sick mother to worry about. That’s enough excitement for me.”

The Redemption groaned as it propelled into a lower orbit. The crest of the Earth filled the viewport as the ship flew toward Abigail’s position.

Abigail wouldn’t have to worry about the void of space for long: she would soon enter the Earth’s atmosphere, and those pods weren’t made to withstand entry. She’d burn up long before she ran out of air.

“We’ve got to get off the main route,” Mikka said. “We’re not going to make it in time otherwise.”

“Might catch the attention of the OG if we do that,” Kiara warned. “If we get pulled over by a patrol, we won’t make it, either.”

Mikka cursed under her breath. Kiara was right, but she didn’t see they had any other choice. Plus, the woman was slowly becoming a thorn in her side, so she didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of being right.

“We’ll deal with that if it happens.”

Kiara shook her head but didn’t argue.

It didn’t take long before the Redemption’s scanners picked up the solitary pod adrift in the lower orbit, just off the main transport corridor. The gray escape vessel floated among a sea of debris, much of it several times larger than the pod itself. If it hadn’t been for Abigail’s distress call, Mikka would likely have never seen it among the rest of the floating remains, never mind known that there was a person inside.

Her ship didn’t just run into trouble, Mikka realized. It bloody exploded!

Whatever trouble this pirate had gotten herself into was possibly a bigger deal than Mikka had first realized. Orbital attacks weren’t common, especially this close to the planet. If her ship’s destruction was simply a matter of Abigail’s criminal record, there would have been other ways to handle things.

Mikka tapped her communications terminal. “Abigail, we’re descending to your position. Are you still there?”

“I’m here,” the pirate’s voice chirped. “But I’ve lost my video feed.”

“Is your docking equipment functional?” Mikka asked. “Are you able to connect to our clamps?”

“I don’t have any fuel, love. I’m dead in the water. All I’ve got is enough air to see the end of my days as I incinerate in orbit, and enough power to keep this channel open for a few more minutes.”

“All right.” Mikka nodded to herself. “Kiara, how close can you get us to the pod without being ripped apart by the surrounding debris?”

Kiara met her gaze. “Are you doubting me?”

“I’m just asking!” Mikka shot back.

“We can kiss her on the nose if you want.”

“Perfect, but she’ll be coming in the other end. Back her up so we can pull that pod into the cargo bay. I’ll seal it off manually.”

“It’s a good thing we loaded our shipment below deck this round.”

Mikka hit another few commands on her console. “Abigail, we’re going to pull you into our cargo hold. You shouldn’t get banged around too much, but you should probably strap yourself in.”

“Already buckled—and I’ve got nowhere else to go, love. Do what you need to do.

The Redemption shook again as Kiara decelerated, weaving around some of the larger pieces of debris.

“Hang on,” Kiara said. “I’ll get us in, but there’s a lot of garbage here. It could get bumpy.”

As promised, the shuttle rattled and bounced as it slowed. Mikka did her best to hang on as she pulled each of the four toggles that would seal off the ship’s bridge from the cargo bay and braced herself for the inevitable turbulence. The pressurized seal allowed them to release objects into the void of space, but they didn’t typically try to bring objects in. It was an unusual maneuver, but if anyone could pull it off, it was Kiara.

“I’m opening the cargo door now,” Mikka said.

“Reversing engines to overtake the pod,” Kiara replied.

There was a faint whoosh and a crack formed in the wall behind them. The Redemption groaned as she strained beneath the atmospheric pressure. A thud and a couple of shudders told Mikka their task had been successful, even before Kiara reported the outcome.

“And she’s in. Re-pressurizing the cargo bay.”

Mikka let out a sigh of relief. “All right. We’ve got twelve minutes until the waypoint sends us to the back of the line. I’d rather not miss our window through the debris field. Let’s get back and take this shipment home.”

“And hope the Guard doesn’t want to inspect our ship on the way through.”

“They won’t. The gates are backed up enough already.”

As if in response to her promise, the holo-screens and monitors in the shuttlecraft all shifted. Big, bold text in orange and red lit their screens, and a rendering of Abigail’s bust hovered above the panels.

Emergency Bulletin.

Fugitive Wanted. Charges: Theft. Conspiracy. Piracy. Murder.

Abigail Monroe. 10,000 Credit reward.

Mikka caught her breath.

“Spoke too soon. Looks like we won’t need to kill her,” Kiara remarked. “We can just turn her in.”

 


Interested in the rest? Go grab your copy of Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel now at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4ZZXSCD/!


My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel) they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel

I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour for Herman Steuernagel’s Eclipse to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! People have been talking about this book on the tour for a few days now, and you’re going to want to take a peek at what they’ve been saying—check out the details in the graphic below. But today’s my turn, so what do I have in store? In addition to this little spotlight post, I’ve got an excerpt from the novel, a Q&A with the author, I’m even going to work in a Friday 56 post with this Tour Stop, and then I’ll post my take on the novel, too. (I’ll update with links throughout the day for those of you who don’t follow this blog). Let’s start by learning a little about this book, okay?

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Book Details:

Book Title: Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel
Series: Fractured Orbit
Publisher: The Fourth Media
Release date: February 7, 2023
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Ebook
Length: 300 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Intended Age Group: Adult
Eclipse Cover

About the Book

When lies crumble, two lives and an entire civilization teeter on the brink of destruction…

Django had everything he ever wanted… now he’s lost it all.

When Django uncovered an unexpected truth, he didn’t know it would end the lives of nearly everyone he cares about. Left only with his sister, his best friend and an uncle who has some unhinged ideas about what might exist outside of the space station Eclipse, he must follow the truth where it leads – even if it leaves him with nothing.

Mikka can’t escape her dubious past… and now must answer for past sins.

Mikka thought she had left her life as a notorious space pirate behind to care for her ailing mother, but the past comes knocking after her ship, the Redemption, answers a cryptic distress call.

Forced to face a deal she made with the devil years ago, Mikka has no choice but to step back into her old life and make another hesitant pact… with an eccentric pirate.

Django and Mikka’s paths collide as they embark on a journey that will shape the fate of a civilization built on half-truths and the backs of others. Rumors of civil war circulate through the Syndicate’s orbital empire, catching both Django and Mikka in the crossfire — where the stakes are far higher than they realize.

Neither is prepared. Neither is willing. But they will no longer be able to ignore the truth.

Perfect for fans of Red RisingStar Trek and Firefly, ECLIPSE is filled with unwilling heroes, a hidden world, likeable characters, space pirates, a path of discovery and a road to redemption.

See Also:

Dirty Little SecretWhy is the Rum Always Gone?Sympathy for the Devil

Book Links

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Eclipse will be on sale for $0.99 on Amazon and BookBub for the week of the tour, Sept. 3 – 9!

About the Author

Herman SteuernagelHerman Steuernagel is a science fiction and fantasy author. His internationally best-selling debut Lies the Guardians Tell reached the top of the science fiction charts on multiple retailers in the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Herman grew up with a love of story and science fiction, watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with his father. As a teenager he fell in love with The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, and The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

His currently published works are dystopian science fiction that highlight the struggle between humanity and the technology we keep, as well as the motivations that keep us fighting with each other.

Herman currently lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on his next book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.

Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ TikTok

My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel) they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

Kickstarter Announcement: Climbing the Ranks by Tao Wong

Climbing the Ranks Promo
I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour for the Kickstarter Announcment for Tao Wong’s Climbing the Ranks to The Irresponsible Reader! Before we get into the nuts and bolts of things, let me tell you a couple of things–1. I kicked the start for another project by Won earlier this year, and this man knows how to organize and run a campaign. If you’ve ever had a bad crowdfunding experience and are a little uneasy about them? You have nothing to worry about here. 2. I’ve got an interview with Wong coming up in a couple of weeks here for something else and I’m telling you that Wong is one impressive individual. Following that interview and the Kickstarter, I have a (virtual) stack of his books to get through and I cannot wait to dive in. You might as well start establishing/working through a stack of your own with this one.

Now let’s talk about this Kickstarter campaign for Climbing the Ranks:

Climbing the Ranks Tour

Book Details:

Book Title: Climbing the Ranks by Tao Wong
Series: Climbing the Ranks
Publisher: Starlit Publishing
Release date(s): Kickstarter July 12 – Aug. 4, On Starlit Publishing’s Website Nov. 2023, Available everywhere Dec. 2023
Length: approx. 600
Genre: LitRPG/Cultivation, crossover with Epic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Climbing the Ranks Cover

About the Book

When the Towers arrived, without warning, without communication of intent or indication of reasoning, chaos ensued…

Decades later, enchantments from the Tower and mana cores from the creatures within power the most advanced technologies in the real world. What was once a puzzling mystery has become a necessary part of economic growth.

For Arthur Chua, the Malaysian Beginner Tower has always been his objective. Climbing the Tower is the only form of escape available for one without money or connections. He’s not looking to be a hero or famous, just a survivor.

Fate, on the other hand, has other plans for him. At long last, the reason for the arrival of the Towers will be revealed, and humanity will once again experience a seismic shift when the truth appears.

Of course, Arthur’s going to have to survive long enough for that to happen…

See Also:

Tower of God meets Solo Leveling

Content/Trigger Warnings:

Shown on Page (things clearly told to the reader):
bullet Some violence and gore (mostly related to fighting monsters)
Alluded to (things only mentioned in passing or hinted at):
bullet None

Book Links

Kickstarter ~ Online Serial Version (start reading now!)

Kickstarter Info

Climbing the Ranks Rewards

About the Author

Tao WongTao Wong is a Canadian author based in Toronto, with series in the LitRPG and xianxia science fiction and fantasy markets. He has over five (5) different series spanning a wide range of worlds, with works in audio, paperback, hardcover and eBook formats and translations to German, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages. As a reader, he cut his teeth decades ago on Dragonlance, Terry Brooks and Asimov before graduating to Jordan, Gaiman, Bujold and more.

When he’s not writing and working, he’s practicing martial arts, reading (even more!) and taking care of his family. Other hobbies include occasional RPGs and board games as well as picking up new, random skillsets.

Tao became a full-time author in 2019 and is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and Novelists, Inc. (NINC).

Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Publisher Facebook ~ Publisher Twitter


My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

Grandpappy’s Corner: Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator): What the Animals Are Really Up To

Welcome back to the opinion portion of this Book Tour stop for Secrets of the Wild. Don’t miss your chance to enter the giveaway!

Grandpappy's Corner Secrets of the Wild

Secrets of the Wild

by Olivia Kent, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Mascot Books
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Format: PDF
Length: 38
Read Date: June 20, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Secrets of the Wild About?

This is an introduction to the Secret Lives of Wild Animals—the parties, the jobs, games, antics, and more that they get up to when humans aren’t around to interfere.

Some Drawbacks

A lot of the vocabulary seems advanced for the target audience—this is not necessarily bad, in fact, it’s laudable. But maybe there are too many of those advanced words in a short space. That’s a tough call really, but it’s something to chew on. If you are going to use a loftier vocabulary (particularly this audience), you’d better make sure you did so correctly—and I’m unconvinced that’s the case here.

The last two pages bring up the idea of humans exploiting animals—for entertainment or industrial use. This is a pretty heavy thing to introduce in the last five sentences, but it’s a defensible notion, but it would probably be better served if given more space. I do wonder what’s different about some of the exploitation the humans are apt to engage in and what the animals themselves were doing in the Weasel Rodeo.

The pronoun use in the last sentence is pretty confusing and could’ve been made easier for the target audience.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Bassani’s art is fantastic. It’s playful, it’s vibrant, it’s engaging—she takes the whimsy and imagination of the premise, embraces it, and then kicks it up a notch.

These illustrations are full—and I do mean full—of characters, action, and details. It’s going to take even the most detail-oriented child a long time to find all there is to find in these drawings.

I didn’t see any samples of this book on Bassani’s website, but there are some good samples of her work in general.

The Best Age Group

This would be best for the oldest kids to read picture books—those on the verge of moving on from them. Between the vocabulary and the content, this isn’t the best fit for the younger, 1-3 year old, readers.

Does that mean I think you shouldn’t read it to these younger readers? Not at all, but the conscientious adult will adapt the language to their audience. 4-6-year-olds will be able to handle some of the vocabulary (but are going to need a hand with some of it, too).

The material on the last couple of pages, on the other hand. The adult reader is going to have to use their own judgment about whether to read the last two pages to a child (or have them read them, if they’re at that point). Some of the ideas on them could be a bit much for younger readers.

So, what did I think about Secrets of the Wild?

Despite what it may seem, I did enjoy this (mostly because describing an issue takes far more space than talking about a positive). I love the Toy Story-meets-Over the Hedge vibe this book has. I think younger readers are really going to get into the art and the rodeo—not to mention the whole idea that humans miss a lot when it comes to the animal world.

I would like a few more pages—maybe as little as 2. The ending felt a bit too abrupt—we get the introduction of the concept of the fun times animals have without humans being aware, a few pages about the rodeo, the idea that the animals have day jobs, too—and then a quick word about why animals have to keep their lives secret from humans. It just felt uneven—expanding the day job portion by a couple of pages would’ve helped. “I wanted more of the good stuff” is really a pretty good complaint to lodge, I figure.

It’s a fun read—one that will satisfy the target audience, and leave them ready to re-read it. It could’ve been better—but what couldn’t be?

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.


My thanks to iReads Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator)

Welcome to the Irresponsible Reader’s spot on the Book Tour for Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani. After this spotlight post, I’ll be sharing my take on this book. Be sure you look into the Giveaway at the bottom of this post before you go away. But first..

Book Details:

Book Title: Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator)
Category: Children’s Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 38 pages
Genre: Children’s Book
Publisher: Mascot Books
Release date: March 2021
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.

Secrets of the Wild

About the Book

There is nothing more exciting than what happens deep in the woods. Aside from human eyes, the hustle and bustle of the wild will shock, awe, and captivate you deep into their world of the unknown. But be careful, because the creatures of the Earth are onto us, and they know much more about us than we know about them…

Purchase Links:

Mascot ~ Amazon ~ B&N 

About the Author

Olivia KentOlivia Kent’s vibrant personality shines through in her very first children’s book, Secrets of the Wild. Her creativity and true love for her characters developed into a funny and heartwarming story, reflecting her inner love for animals. Her passion for Earth’s creatures is being taken one step further as she continues her studies.​

Enter the Giveaway:
SECRETS OF THE WILD Book Tour Giveaway

You can go directly to the giveaway page, if you’d prefer.

My thanks to iReads Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

COVER REVEAL: Sea of Souls by N. C. Scrimgeour

Sea of Souls Cover Reveal Banner

I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour’s Cover Reveal for N. C. Scrimgeour’s Sea of Souls to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! Before we get to revealing the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all feast on the cover.

Book Details:

Book Title: Sea of Souls by N. C. Scrimgeour
Series: Sea of Souls Saga
Genre: Dark/Folklore Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Length: TBC/approx. 125k words
Release date: August 4, 2023
Publisher: Alcruix Press (Self Published)

About the Book

Dark be the water, and darker still the creatures that lurk within…

Free-spirited Isla Blackwood has never accepted the shackles of her family’s nobility. Instead, she sails the open waters, searching for belonging on the waves.

But when tragedy calls Isla home, she realizes she can no longer escape the duty she’s been running from. Selkie raiders have been terrorizing the island’s coasts, and when they strike at Blackwood Estate, Isla is forced to flee with her hot-headed brother and brooding swordmaster.

To avenge her family and reclaim her home, Isla will have to set aside old grudges and join forces with an exiled selkie searching for a lost pelt. The heirloom might be the key to stopping the bloody conflict—but only if they can steal it from the island’s most notorious selkie hunter, the Grand Admiral himself.

Caught between a promise to the brother she once left behind and an unlikely friendship with the selkie who should have been her enemy, Isla soon realizes the open seas aren’t the only treacherous waters she’ll need to navigate.

As enemies close in on all sides, she must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie if she wants to save what’s left of her family—and find the belonging she’s been searching for.

Content/Trigger Warnings:

  • Alcohol/alcoholism

  • Amputation

  • Animal
    death (fictional/in-world creatures)

  • Assault

  • Attempted
    murder

  • Blood

  • Bodies/corpses

  • Body horror

  • Bones

  • Child death
    (off-page, mentioned only)

  • Classism

  • Death

  • Decapitation

  • Emotional
    abuse

  • Forced
    captivity

  • Gore

  • Gun
    violence

  • Hallucinations

  • Hunting

  • Injury

  • Murder

  • Physical
    abuse

  • Poisoning

  • Pregnancy

  • Prejudice
    (fictional/in-world)

  • Profanity

  • Self-harm
    (ritualistic)

  • Skeletons/skulls

  • Violence

See Also:

A Compass that Doesn’t Point North • Under the Sea •
How Dangerous Can a Seal Really Be, Anyway?

Book Links

Universal Amazon Link

About the Author

N.C. ScrimgeourN. C. Scrimgeour is a science fiction and fantasy author whose books focus on character-driven stories in vibrant worlds, from folklore fantasy to space opera.

After completing her Masters in English Literature, she went on to work in journalism and marketing and communications while pursuing her passion in writing.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing story-driven RPGs, watching and reading all things science fiction and fantasy, and getting outdoors with the dog for a good walk

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ TikTok ~ Goodreads

and now…

The Cover

Sea of Souls Cover

I love that cover. Arresting design.



My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

COVER REVEAL: Down Below Beyond by T.A. Bruno

Down Below Beyond Cover Reveal Banner

I’m very pleased to welcome the Escapist Book Tour’s Cover Reveal for T.A. Bruno’s Down Below Beyond to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! Before we get to revealing the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all feast on the cover.

Book Details:

Book Title: Down Below Beyond by T.A. Bruno
Series: N/A, Standalone
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy
Intended Age Group: General Audience (PG-13)
Length: 260 (unofficial)
Release date: Forthcoming, tentative June/July 2023
Publisher: Feathersong, LLC. (Self Published)

About the Book

Levort Aatra is a prospector on a planet named Tayoxe. While scavenging the wastes of the abandoned world, he discovers a mysterious starship and stakes his claim on it. Little does he know; he just put a big target on his back.

DOWN BELOW BEYOND is a sprawling sci-fi fantasy adventure filled with aliens, planets, and portals set in a universe crafted by T. A. Bruno, author of the award-winning Song of Kamaria trilogy.

See Also:

Stick it to the Man! • Now You’re Thinking with Portals • 99 Red Balloons

Book Links

The Song of Kamaria trilogy

About the Author

T.A. BrunoT. A. Bruno grew up in a suburb south of Chicago and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Since then, he has brought stories to life for over a decade as a previz artist. At home, he is the proud father of two boys and a husband to a wonderful wife. He wrote his first trilogy of novels in the early 2020’s, the Song of Kamaria (In the Orbit of Sirens, On the Winds of Quasars, and At the Threshold of the Universe).

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Youtube ~ Goodreads

and now…

The Cover

Down Below Beyond Cover

That’s an eyecatching cover right there…I know I’d take a double or triple-look at it on the shelf.

Be sure to check out the website of the cover artist, Lance Buckley.



My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

Escapist Book Tours

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