Tag Archives: kent wayne
Chance to Get a Book by One of My Recommended Authors for Nothing!
If you like dystopian novels, then the Echo books are for you.
Warning, though. They do contain violence and swearing.
But hurry. Today is the last day of the sale.
Sorry npt to let you know earlier but I forgot to hit ‘publish’.
Review of A Door into Evermoor by Kent Wayne.
Overview
This book is billed as a YA book. Much of the story is an ideal YA book, but I think that Mr Waybe puts a little too much philosophy in for that age group. I could see many, if not most young people skipping those bits, although I, personally, found them interesting.
Story
A young man, by the name of Jon Dough, who is starting out on his career wonders how his life will turn out. He does not relish the usual 9-5 dreary office job, marriage, kids, divorce etc so he goes to enlist in the army. There he meets a man called Atraya. (If you’ve read Mr Wayne’s Echo books you’ll recognise him.) Atraya gets him to sign a very vague contract.Jon begins to see ‘visions’ of another world in every door and window. This world could easily be straight out of a Dungeons and Dragons scenario. Eventually, Jon, wandering in a forest, sees a door appear in a tree. He enters and finds himself in the world of Evermoor.Knowing nothing about this world he is lucky to meet someone who will help him, and is dragged into the problems facing the land of Evermoor.
This is a fairly standard Fantasy story–young person finds themselves in another world where there is someone who is ruling with cruelty and s/he has to help overcome the situation and defeat the tyrant. However, this is done well, and it does not seem like a cliche.
Characters
The character of Jon is like a typical young man in his late teens. He is well-drawn and likeable. He does not really know who he is, but he does know that he doesn’t want to live the life he foresees.
Mr Wayne does a good job of making him naive and a little clueless, but I did think he learnt to use weapons rather easily.
Erany is a half elf princess. She is Jon’s love interest. He is a little clumsy around her because of his attraction. She is confident and knows her way around this strange new world. I found myself growing to like her more as I continued to read.
The other players all have different characters and skills. I found myself liking them in spite of some negative characteristics. But that is what makes them real. They don’t all get on well.
Writing
The difference between the two worlds is vividly drawn. The action scenes are exciting, and there is one surprise that I enjoyed, but I won’t say what it is except that it is to do with the identity of one character.
Grammar and punctuation are good.
I give it 4*.
My ranking of books.
In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.
5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.
4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.
3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.
2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.
1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.
Review of Kor’Thank, Barbarian Girl by Kent Wayne
OVERVIEW:
I enjoyed this ridiculous concept of a story. It was a fun romp through a mixture of scifi and fantasy.
BLURB
On a parallel Earth similar to ours, a barbarian king and an evil cheerleader switch bodies, threatening to destabilize the entire multiverse. That’s just the tip of the adolescent iceberg—in the race against time to set things right, teen genius Peter and master strategist Eun face off against a world-devouring monster.
Tons of profanity. Idiot demon-jocks. Copious psychedelics. An airborne kiss at three hundred miles per hour, dangling from the back of a mushroom-shaped mecha.
This is the high school experience you’ve always wanted. But more importantly, it’s the high school experience you so richly deserve.
STORY
Bodies switched between a barbarian leader on a parallel world and a cheerleader on Earth. Two teens who have the knowledge to switch them back. And a demi-god who appears as various things from a dog to a bicycle to a supercar to a…
The stability of the universe is at stake, and unless Peter and Eun can defeat an evil demi-god and an equally evil company, that’s the end of everything.
I don’t want to say more, except that I loved the velociraptor steeds of the barbarians. (except for a couple of occasions when Mr Wayne mentions them rearing. Since velociraptors are two-legged creatures, I found that I could not conceive of this idea,)
CHARACTERS
The characters are fun and varied. Eun is the strategist behind the operation, and Peter the scientist. I loved Kor’Thank, the barbarian leader, who found himself in the body of a teenage girl. His reaction to this was interesting. As was the reaction of Holly, the girl cheerleader who ended up in Kor’Thank’s body. But she became more nasty and evil.
The characters did change throughout the story, adapting to their circumstances—Kor’Thank for the better, and Holly for the worse. I don’t want to say more.
WRITING
The writing was good. Very few things that irritated me.
SUMMARY
I give the book 4*.
If you’ve read anything else by Mr Wayne, you will find this very different.
Although it is about teenagers, I would not recommend it for teens to read. There is much swearing and some sex.
It is a fun read.
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review of the dialectic of agony, echo 3 by Kent Wayne
Overview.
Another extremely enjoyable book in the Echo series by Kent Wayne. This book picks up where book 2 ends and has a surprise towards the end.
Blurb
While Crusader Kischan Atriya fights to keep his life and sanity, his mentor Chrysalis Verus undertakes a perilous journey across the wilds of Echo. Their separate paths intertwine in the unlikeliest of places and across all borders, both psychic and physical.
Story
Atriya is in a bad way after his fight in Book 2. He has ‘boosted’ three times in 24 hours. The recommended number is 1 or severe brain damage might occur.
This book follows Atriya and his friend and mentor, Verus, across realms both physical and mental.
Characters
The characters are, as in the o ther books, believable. They have their flaws, especially Atriya. During this book he develops in many ways through his interactions with other characters and begins to see that his life as a Crusader is not what he thought it was.
Writing
On the whole, Mr Wayne’s writing is good and clear. He sets scenes that one can easily picture and draws you into the story with ease, so you don’t want to put the book down.
Conclusion
Another 4* stars for this one, largely because of things that slightly irritated me, like the way he uses ‘earth’ when he means ‘ground’. We are not on Earth.
I hope you enjoyed this review. These books are definitely worth a read. They are not simply adventure stories, although they are that, but they have a definite philosophical slant as well.
Feel free to reblog this post. The more eyes on these books the better it will be for Kent Wayne.
If you enjoyed this review, please leave a comment in the comments box.
a review of a taste of ashes (echo 2) by kent wayne
Overview.
I would first warn people that this book details a battle. As a result there is a lot of violence and swearing in it. This is not a criticism, though. In a battle such as the one Atriya and his collegues are in there would be both violence and swearing.
The book takes place over one day, and has a profound effect on Atriya.
Blurb
Most of us change gradually—over the course of decades. For Crusader Atriya, it will happen in a single, agonizing day. On the edge of a decaying cityscape, Atriya struggles to hold onto his identity as he faces death from both enemies and allies alike. In the process, his old self is torn away, and he catches a glimpse of what he may one day become.
Twelve hundred years ago, humanity left Earth to settle on Echo. Despite hopes for a golden age, an era of darkness fell. Government and corporations merged into the Regime. The military and police merged into the Department of Enforcement. Over half the planet is covered by crumbling cityscapes and the elite live high above, removed and remote from the greater populace on the moon-city of Ascension. Hope lies in Atriya, but before he can break the cycle of darkness and ignorance on Echo, he has to do it within himself.
Story
During book 1, Approaching Shatter, Atriya has fallen foul of the Jury, a religious organisation.
Now he is sent on this mission to be killed. If he does not get killed during the mission, his superior officers have orders to shoot him.
He performs some amazing deeds during the battle, saving his comrades many times. Will his deeds persuade then to override their orders and allow him to live?
Characters
Wayne has built a cast of believable characters. Atriya is a man with many demons, good points and bad. He wrestles with these throughout the book during the battle. And he changes gradually during this encounter.
Clement is a thoroughly unpleasant character whom Wayne has built into a believable person. A bully and a coward. I hated him!
I did like the retrieval office, Liber, though. He had not lost all semblance of humanity as many others had. He does have some sympathy for others.
Writing
The writing is, on the whole, good. Mr Wayne builds the tension throughout the story.
There were one or two little places that grammar could have been improved, but, unless, like me, you are a member of the Grammar Police, I don’t think you’d notice. It’s not enough to warrant removing a star.
The descriptions of the battle are vivid (including the injuries and people being blown to bits). The story moves at a fast pace, as it should in such a time.
Conclusion
An excellent read for anyone who enjoys fast-action and adventure stories. Having said that, don’t read it before reading Book 1, Approaching Shatter.
I have awarded this book 5*
I hope you enjoy my reviews. I try to review all books I read. As an author myself, I realise how important reviews are to authors, and to readers, too, of course.
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Dragons Rule OK. V.M.Sang (author) 