Reviews not on Amazon…
While I thank all readers who have posted a review of one of my books, many do not appear on Amazon. Amazon is not the be-all and end-all of the book world, even the self-published or ebook world. They want to be the center of the book universe, of course, but it does not distribute either ebooks or print books to anyone else—Smashwords and Draft2Digital are ebook aggregators who distribute to many other online retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and ebook lenders (Scribd, Overdrive, Gardners, etc.). As a consequence, readers who buy only from Amazon will only see a sample of my reviews. Moreover, Amazon has the habit of losing reviews and allowing trolls to post their snarky reviews.
In this post, I will offer some reviews the reader will not find on Amazon.
The Midas Bomb. “…is a very well-written, action-packed thriller. The author quickly introduces some very interesting characters. It took a few chapters for me to sort them all out. The plot is intriguing and thought provoking with many twists and turns along the way. I found myself wondering if something like this scenario could really happen? …I really got into the story and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.” – Paul Johnson, in his Readers’ Favorite review
Survivors of the Chaos. “This book is a page turner. Readers steeped in current literature will appreciate the brevity of scenes that burst in front of you with a blinding flash of startling detail and then exit as quickly as a comet streaking through the night sky…ensnares you aboard a mental roller coaster catapulting over the hills and valleys of a world gone mad…a disquieted galaxy peppered with a roster of characters that would make a casting director envious, highly detailed space scenes, and an inspiring plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat.” – David W. Menefee, Pulitzer-nominated author and reviewer for Bookpleasures.com
The Secret Lab. “I will disclose this: I picked up [this book] because of Mr. Paws, the intelligent cat. Yes, I could not resist the temptation to read the adventure of a sentient, mathematics inclined cat, told by Steven M. Moore. It exceeded my expectations. Mr. Paws is the result of a genetics experiment aboard a facility orbiting Earth in 2147. The cat and his newly found friends, a group of four smart teenagers, find themselves in an intrigue with corporate agendas, young curiosity, dangerous and ethically problematic research, relationships and their difficulties when coming of age. The complexity is enthralling, but the author also makes it easy to follow, using a light, natural style to tell us their story.”–Alfaniel Aldavan, in hia Smashwords’ review
The Last Humans. “Steven M. Moore pens an apocalyptic thriller in [this book.] Penny Castro left the US Navy and became a forensic diver for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Penny and her fellow deputy George are called out to locate a victim offshore. Penny plunges into the ocean, finds the body and tugs on her line. The line goes limp. Letting go of the body, she swims to the surface. On the boat, she discovers her fellow deputy dead. Shocked, sickened, and saddened, she heads to shore. Upon arrival, all she finds is more dead bodies. They are everywhere! The world had turned upside down while she was under water. The stench of death surrounds her. Alone and frightened, she hides. But soon wild and feral humans begin terrorizing, looting and raping at will. Penny saves a small boy, Sammy, and then an old man named Ben. Penny, Sammy, and Ben become a family, fighting to survive in a desolate world gone mad.
The Last Humans is a thrilling ride into a dystopian world. Written in first person narrative, the heart and soul of the heroine emerges. Every thought, emotion, and action is seen from her perspective. She is courageous but not necessarily brave. She faces her fears and often vomits in the aftermath. Her femininity at times gets the better of her, but her humanity always prevails. The cast of characters and the tragic events surrounding her cause her character to grow beyond expectation. This concept is mandatory for survival in an apocalyptic world, keeping to the adage ‘that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’
To survive you must have water. History has proven most wars are fought over water rights. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is a continual battle over water. Moore obviously did his research on the desalination process, bringing a realistic level of science into the conflict. Minimizing politics, the story never reveals the source of the plague; instead, the narrative concentrates on the aftermath of the global disaster. As the story comes to an end, the action slows, leaving you wondering if those who survived were truly the last humans. ‘The future was an unknown, but the known past had to be put aside to make room for it.’”—Cheryl E. Rodriguez, in her Readers’ Favorite review [Note from Steve: This review led to a contest entry and a prize.]
Rembrandt’s Angel. “…is a complex thriller with several plots intertwined throughout the story. It is recommended for serious mystery fans who are looking for not only a challenging read, but also one that allows readers to become an armchair adventurist and detective, along with Brookstone and van Coevorden, spanning many different parts of the globe.”—Lynette Latzko, Feathered Quill Book Reviews
“A deftly crafted and consistently riveting read from beginning to end. [this book] showcases author Steven Moore’s genuine flair for originality and his impressive mastery of the Mystery/Suspense genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that Rembrandt’s Angel is also available in digital book format.”–Midwest Book Review
Son of Thunder. “…is the second novel in the Esther Brookstone Art Detective Series by Steven M. Moore. Esther has now officially left Scotland Yard and she is ready to pursue things that she always wanted to do but never had the time. Now that she has time, she is going to search for St. John the Divine’s tomb by using the directions Sandro Botticelli left centuries ago. There is nothing that will stop her from finding it, not even an imminent danger that her Interpol Agent boyfriend is trying to protect her from. Even though Bastiann has his own troubles to focus on, keeping Esther safe is his first priority. What are these two going to do? Can Esther find the tomb in time? Can Bastiann keep her safe while she is miles away?
This is an exceptionally well-crafted and well-researched novel. Even though I haven’t read the previous novel in the series, I had no trouble becoming invested in the story and getting involved in the protagonists’ lives. I enjoyed the connection between Esther and Bastiann and how they seemed to balance each other out. While Esther is a firecracker, Bastiann is the calm soul that brings her back to earth while helping her fly. I also enjoyed how Esther seemed to bring a lot to the story. From her quirky personality to her great sense of humor, she made things work while having a grand time. The development of the story was great, the plot was incredibly rich and the characters were super entertaining. It is a great story and I cannot wait for more.” —Rabia Tanveer, in her Readers’ Favorite review
“Practiced mystery author Steven M. Moore creates three tales in one, from different historical plateaus, blending elements of a modern thriller with myth and fact from two earlier centuries in his newest offering, Son of Thunder.
The stories open as painter Sandro Boticelli presents to his patron Lorenzo de Medici his latest creation – untitled – depicting the New Testament Zebedee and his two sons James and John, the latter definitely resembling the artist. When Lorenzo spurns the unusual painting, Bishop Leo steps in and makes Boticelli an offer he can’t refuse. Once he has possession of Boticelli’s creation, Leo hides it away in an armoire along with some cryptic notes regarding the true burial site of John, whom Jesus named a “son of thunder.” Next we find John, in the first century; he’s fleeing the violence of the Romans against Christians by traveling furtively through Europe, calling on Mary the mother of Jesus, who is on her death bed, and Mary, known as the Magdalene, who, like John, is boldly attempting to preserve relics of their Master’s life and teaching.
Skipping to the twenty-first century we meet Esther Brookstone, a retired operative from Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques Division, and her male companion, Bastiann van Coevorden, an Interpol agent. The two have just spent some quality time together in her newly renovated castle and both are, secretly, considering the possibility of marriage. Through her contacts in the art world, Esther authenticates the Boticelli painting once hidden away by Bishop Leo, and discovers his arcane notes concerning the grave of St. John. These will lead her, Bastiann, and a varied cast of characters – with a wide, sometimes nefarious mix of motives and methods – on an international chase to a faraway place where sacred bones are buried.
Moore has written about Esther and Bastiann previously; the interest about and between the two is deepened in this latest exploration of their vibrant partnership. Though Esther seems at times the more assertive of the two and quite capable of taking care of herself, she needs someone like Bastiann — a plodder, an observer, and a good man to have on one’s side when the chips are down. Moore offers an abundance of stirring intrigue related to the current political climate, against a background of historical speculation. Terrorism and its foes play a role, and a weirdly motivated descendant of one of the ancients joins in the fray. Moore has included an afterword he calls ‘Notes, Disclaimers and Acknowledgements’ that sheds light on the lure for him of this multilayered, twisting tale.
Quill says: Moore’s deft interweaving of history, religion, fable and fact makes for a fascinating read, highly recommended for readers who favor a thriller that makes them think beyond the page.”—Barbara Bamberger Scott, in her Feathered Quill review
Death on the Danube. “…is the third book in the Esther Brookstone Art Detective Series by Steven M. Moore, and it is a wonderful blend of mystery and murder; a story that will be loved by fans of sleuth novels…. Steven M. Moore is a master storyteller who creates characters with depth and thrusts them into complex situations. I loved the way the relationship between Esther and Bastiann is written, the great pacing, and the wonderful writing.”—Gobi Jane, in her Readers’ Favorite review
Pasodobles in a Quantum Stringscape. “This short story collection had been pushed so far back on my Kindle’s carousel that I’d forgotten about it. When I was looking for something to occupy my brain for a bit before bed, I came across it and opened it up.
I don’t know why I quit reading it. Maybe because I was in the middle of a novella called ‘Flight from Mother World.’ I think all the characters were aliens, and I wasn’t familiar with them. After reading the rest of Moore’s novels, I now know the species known as “Rangers” pretty well, and when resuming this story, I fell right into it and enjoyed it to the end.
If you are in the mood for some solid ‘hard’ science fiction stories (and one SF novella) including Moore’s “Dr. Carlos” stories mostly collected in one place, this is a great book to grab…. Quality writing, storytelling, and creativity.”.–Scott Dyson, in his Goodreads* review
Fantastic Encores! “For me, this was best read after I’d read the rest of Steven M. Moore’s works. It is a collection of stories about characters from other works, for the most part, and it was good to be familiar with those characters as I read them. There are also a couple of Dr. Carlos stories in this collection. Classic SF [that] reminds me a little of Dr. Asimov in style and content. Great reads!”—Scott Dyson, in his Goodreads review.
Soldiers of God. “…The plot was fast-paced and tightly-woven…. There were lots of details that made it plausible enough to believe. There are lots of likable characters, and lots of baddies to not like. It’s … action packed, just plain old reading entertainment….I think this writer is exceptional….” – Mary Ann Koopmann, in her Goodreads* review
Rogue Planet. “…is a well plotted and well-paced novel that gives you a glimpse into a larger universe, filled with unique beings. It’s amazing to see how humanity is able to both thrive and struggle away from their home planet, as they learn to work with other species to form a peaceful galaxy, yet are still challenged by pockets of resistance or turmoil on other, more remote planets, such as Eden. Steven M. Moore does a great job with balancing both the good and bad aspects of humanity, and showing how it can work out for good or ill, depending on the intent and will of the people.”–Sherri Fulmer Moore, Readers’ Favorite reviewer
I’m sure there are more reviews scattered here and there that are not on Amazon (if you’ve found any, let me know). However, if you click on title-links or cover-links on my “Books & Short Stories” web page for books published before 2021, you’ll go to that book’s Amazon page where you can read the blurb (it might be a different one), “peek inside,” and scan the Amazon reviews for the book. You also will find reviews collected in the “My Reviews” archive of my blog (where this article is also archived).
I just want to emphasize with this posting that reviews on Amazon aren’t the only ones, and places like Feathered Quill, Midwest Book Review, Bookpleasures, and other review sites often have informative reviews, not only of my books but of many other authors’ as well, and they’re more often used by library purchasers. Smart consumers often don’t depend on just one site when deciding to buy or borrow a book. (Of course, a $2.99 or $3.99 ebook is a trivial investment compared to a car or appliance!)
*Amazon now owns Goodreads, but reviews posted there are not carried over to the book’s page on Amazon. Moreover, I think these reviews were posted before Amazon bought Goodreads.
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Comments are always welcome.
Hard sci-fi, anyone? The bargain bundle The Chaos Chronicles Trilogy Collection contains three “evergreen” sci-fi novels (i.e. as current and entertaining as the day I finished the manuscripts) that span thousands of years of future history, including the founding of ITUIP (“Interstellar Trade Union of Independent Planets”) featured in A.B. Carolan’s novels, Rogue Planet, and other stories. In the novel Survivors of the Chaos (see the review above), readers discover a dystopian Earth where powerful international corporations rule and exploit the planet and the rest of the solar system, even hiding the greatest discovery Humans could ever make, an ET ship that crash-landed on a moon of Saturn. In spite of the chaos, three starships are launched to colonize planets orbiting Sol-type stars. In Sing a Zamba Galactica, readers can follow two colonies’ struggles to survive an ET invasion in near-Earth space; the colonists aren’t alone because new ET friends are there to help. The reader will also meet new ETs, including Swarm, that strange collective intelligence so important in ITUIP history. In Come Dance a Cumbia…with Stars in Your Hand!, readers will see how a mad industrialist, akin to ones Humans fled decades earlier, plots to rule all of near-Earth peace and end the peace in that corner of the galaxy so dearly won. Three novels for the price of one ebook—a veritable smorgasbord of sci-fi! Available wherever quality ebooks are sold. (The first edition of Survivors of the Chaos is also available in print from another publisher.)
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
