Book Review – The Luna Missile Crisis

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Rhett C. Bruno http://rhettbruno.com/ and Jaime Castle http://www.jaimecastle.com have together published more than 50 novels. The Luna Missile Crisis was published in 2020. It is the 13th book I completed reading in 2023.

I received an ARC of this book through ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

The Russians are launching Yuri Gagarin in 1961 when an alien spacecraft suddenly appears in orbit. Unfortunately, a collision between the two craft ensues. The Russians at first see it as an attack. They fire nuclear weapons toward the West. While the missiles are destroyed, a radioactive ‘dead curtain’ in Eastern Europe results.

The aliens, the Vurbathi, need assistance repairing their ship. They offer technology in exchange for Earth’s help.

In the dead curtain, Sergeant Kyle McCoy and his team confront Russian troops. In the midst of the resulting skirmish, a Vurbathi appears. With it, secrets are exposed.

Three years later, Kyle McCoy’s twin brother Connor is trying to sell counterfeit Vurbathi technology. The deal goes sideways, and Connor must go on the run. He takes refuge with his brother, then betrays him by stealing his Department of Alien Relations ID. Using it Connor impersonates his brother and travels to the Moon for a diplomatic conference with the Vurbathi.

As the conference is beginning, an unknown group launches a sneak attack. Connor escapes with a beautiful KBG agent. They find themselves drawn into a conspiracy. It looks like only Connor can save the day.

I enjoyed the 12.5+ hours I spent reading this 488-page science fiction and alternate history novel. The plot is full of twists, and it is full of action. It was a refreshing read. I have read and enjoyed a few of Bruno’s other publications. They are Titanborn, From Ice to Ashes, and The Circuit: Executor Rising. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.5 (rounded to 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Winds of Wrath

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Taylor Anderson http://taylorandersonauthor.com is the author of more than 5 novels. Winds of Wrath was published in 2020 and is the 15th novel in his Destroyermen series. This is the 72nd book I completed in 2022. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Anderson in 2018.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this book/novel as R.

This novel continues the saga of a destroyer and its crew. They passed through a portal early in WWII and found themselves on an Earth of a parallel universe. An Earth that had evolved differently. And they were not the only travelers from alternate Earths. These novels have a wide cast of characters.

By now, the Destroyermen have made allies of several on this Earth. Foremost among them are the Lemurians. They also have three main enemies left. The Grik are a violent reptilian species native to this Earth that has spread their empire across most of Africa. The Dominion empire is centered in South America and is still a threat. The members of the League are also travelers from another Earth. They are poised to be the biggest threat yet encountered by the Destroyermen and their allies.

Earlier in the series, several battles were fought against the Grik. Now there is only one stronghold left. The Destroyermen and their allies launch an attack to destroy the remaining Grik stronghold. The Grik General Esshk has vowed to destroy them.

Some of the Dominion forces and strongholds have already been destroyed. But the Dominion is still strong and bent on the defeat of the Destroyermen and their allies. They have used their warped religion to terrorize and control their people for years. The leader, Don Hernan, has made a pact with the League to defeat the Destroyermen.

The League remains in power dominating the Mediterranean. So far, they have not directly confronted the Destroyermen and their allies. The pact with the Dominion will change that. Modern warships from the League will soon be arriving in the Caribbean.

The Destroyermen and their allies are spread out over three different theaters of operation. Will they finally stop the Grik? Can the Dominion be toppled? Will they be able to survive the fleet sailing from the League? The fighting will be brutal. Friends and allies will be lost.

I enjoyed the 25.5+ hours I spent reading this 540-page alternate history. This is the fourth novel by Mr. Anderson that I have read, and I enjoyed them all! The others were Straits of Hell, River of Bones, and Pass of Fire. These books should be read in order. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Three Miles Down

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Harry Turtledove https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Turtledove is the author of more than 100 novels. Three Miles Down was published in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as G.

The novel is set in the early 1970s. The primary character is Jerry Stieglitz, a marine biology graduate student at UCLA and part-time science fiction author. He is approached by the CIA to take part in a secret mission. A Soviet submarine had been lost and then discovered by the US. He is told that he will be part of a marine biology cover story for a ship attempting to recover the sub. He jumps at the chance for a well-paying summer stipend and the opportunity to gather research data.

He finds out that the real mission is the retrieval of what appears to be an alien spacecraft. A specially built ocean research ship travels to the North Pacific to find the spacecraft. The crew struggles to retrieve the vessel and find themselves faced with a first-contact situation.

Their ship is surveilled on and off by a Russian vessel, causing tensions to rise. Stieglitz is not always comfortable with the secrecy around the project or the longer-term goals of the CIA.

I enjoyed the 10+ hours I spent reading this 279-page alternate history novel. I have been a fan of books by Mr. Turtledove for many years. Among his recent novels that I have read are The House of Daniel, Bombs Away, Fallout, and Through Darkest Europe. This story is a bit slow but very engaging. I hope to see a sequel in the near future. The chosen covert is very eye-catching. I give this novel a rating of 4.5 (rounded to 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – The Albion Initiative

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – George Mann https://www.georgemann.net is the author of more than 30 novels. The Albion Initiative was published in 2022 and is the 6th and the final book in the Newbury & Hobbes series.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this book/novel as R. The series is set in a steampunk Elizabethan alternative universe.

Newbury & Hobbes, along with their fellow Secret Service agents, find themselves set upon by Queen Victoria’s men. They come to the realization that the Queen is no longer in her right mind. To save the Empire they must enact the ‘Albion Initiative’ to break Prince Edward out of Bedlam.

Their investigation reveals the depths of madness to which the Queen has fallen. Will they be able to put things right? Will the Empire survive?

I enjoyed the 7 hours I spent reading this 244-page steampunk thriller. The novel can be read stand-alone, but it would be best to have read the prior works. I was fortunate to read book 5 of the series The Revenant Express in the summer of 2019. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – The Barbarossa Secret

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Christopher Kerr https://christopher-kerr.co.uk is the author of three novels. The Barbarossa Secret was published in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R. The primary character is journalist Hans Schirach.

In 2020 Schirach is approached. He begins to learn the truth about what happened. The true Nazi legacy from WWII. The Third Reich may have fallen in May of 1945, but a new Reich was now in power. It is hidden behind the scenes, but wields far more power than Hitler.

There are secrets many do not want to be revealed. The revelation of these secrets could cause governments to fall. Efforts are made to keep the information contained. People die.

I enjoyed the 13.5+ hours I spent reading this 468-page thriller. The novel covers from 1932 up to 2020. It is a mix of historical fiction and alternative history. The fictional plot weaves around many historical facts, popular myths, and conspiracy theories. I like the eye-catching cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. 

Book Review: “The Linden Tree”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author S.D.M. Carpenter published the novel “The Linden Tree” in 2020.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is an alternative history of WWII. In this ‘universe’ the Japanese never attack Perl Harbor and the Nazis develop nuclear weapons first.

There are two primary characters in this novel. Luftwaffe General Peter von Zimmermann and British SOE agent Emelia Ramsour-Fritsch. Zimmermann is a decorated veteran from WWI. Now he is one of the top bomber pilots in the Luftwaffe. He is chosen to drop the first nuclear weapon on the UK.

Germany immediately threatens both the UK and the US with further nuclear attacks. The British publicly submit. Secretly they mount a search for the German weapons program. Ramsour-Fritsch travels to Switzerland taking on the role of a socialite. She makes her way to Berlin where she meets Zimmermann.

At first, she is just playing her role, but before long true romance develops. As the German ME-264 heavy bomber becomes operational, all of the UK and the East Coast of the US come within range. Can the Nazis be stopped before they dominate the world?

I thoroughly enjoyed the 12+ hours I spent reading this 355-page WWII Alternative History novel. The author was able to integrate many facts from WWII into the novel. The characters were believable and the plot interesting. The cover art is simple but I like it. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 500 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

Book Review: “Shadows of Annihilation”

(See all of my Book Reviews) – Author S. M. Stirling (https://smstirling.com) published the novel “Shadows of Annihilation” in 2020. Mr. Stirling has published more than 60 novels. This is the third book in his ‘Alternate World War’ series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Language, and Mature Situations. The story continues the struggle between the Black Chamber and Germany.

The Black Chamber is a secret spy unit of the US Secret Service. It is 1917 and the World War has settled into a stalemate. The Germans have driven US troops from mainland Europe. Of course, this is an entirely different world than the one we have lived through.

Black Chamber agents Luz O’Malley and Ciara Whelan are on the job again. They travel to the US protectorate of Mexico. Their destination is in the remote highlands. They are to assist with the security of a secret facility under construction there. This is the first Annihilation Gas facility built by the United States. They must have it to hold the Germans in check.

Unexpectedly, German agent Horst von Duckler appears on the scene. Luz and Ciara have run up against him before and he has a grudge to settle with them. The pair encounter him and German sympathizers in one confrontation after another.

I enjoyed the 11+ hours I spent reading this 396-page alternate history novel. I have read many of Sterling’s novels. He is one of my favorite authors. This third installment in his Alternate World War series does not disappoint. While I have read both of the prior novels in the series (“Black Chamber” and “Theater of Spies“), you could read this one stand-alone. I do recommend that you read them in order. There is an element of LGBTQ in the story as Luz and Ciara are an intimate pair, but that plays a very minor role. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (Rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Clemhorn: Nightfall”

(See all of my Book Reviews) – “Clemhorn: Nightfall” eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Andrew J. Harvey (https://www.andrewjharvey.com). This is Mr. Harvey’s third publication.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The story is set on several Earth’s in different universes.

In this alternate history/universe story. There are established lines of transport between the various Earths. This story follows three siblings, Donald, Ivy, and Conrad, as their world comes under attack. The level of technology is more “Steam Punk” than modern.

I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 325-page science fiction novel.  The story deals with a very large family in leadership positions on one Earth. It did have a slow start. I was 32% of the way into the book before there was a real conflict. I liked the plot, but the book ended abruptly with many unresolved threads to the story. I will be looking for the follow up novel(s) that take the story to a conclusion. I do like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.9 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Review of “Region 6: What if the Allies had lost?”

(See all of my Book Reviews) – “Region 6: What if the Allies had lost?” eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Ian Krender. Mr. Krender has published two novels. 

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Situations, and Mature Language. The story is set in an alternate history where Germany won WWII. 

The two primary characters are Thomas and Stephen. Thomas has grown up in Region 6, what we know as the UK. He is part of the working class and has experienced first hand the ruthlessness of the Nazi occupiers. Stephen has led a privileged life in Region 6 since her father is part of the Gestapo. He has followed in those footsteps and joined the Gestapo himself. 

Thomas has joined the resistance movement. Stephen is sent in as a spy to make friends with Thomas and find out more about what the resistance is planning. Stephen though is disillusioned by what he learns. That, and a growing relationship with Thomas persuades him to help the resistance. 

I found the 5.5 hours I spent reading this 272-page alternate history interesting. I generally like alternative history novels and almost anything dealing with WWII. When I selected this novel I did not realize there was a significant LGBTQ component to the story. I came close to just ditching the book with a Rule of 50 at the 66% mark. As far as the resistance thread to the plot goes, that seemed realistic, but the end of the novel was less believable. The cover art is reflective of the story. I give this novel a 3.8 (up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Pass of Fire”

(See all of my Book Reviews) – “Pass of Fire” eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Taylor Anderson (http://taylorandersonauthor.com). This is the 14th book in his “Destroyer Men” series. See my interview with Taylor Anderson. 

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story continues the saga of the Destroyer Men who have been transported to an alternate Earth from our WWII era of history. 

Several characters are featured in this volume of the series. The people from our Earth continue their war with the Grik, the Holy Dominion, and the League of Tripoli. The Grand Human and Lemurian Alliance faces what seems to the the final battle with the Grik. They also confront the Holy Dominion at one of their strongholds. As the Human/Lemurian forces appear to be succeeding against the Grik and Holy Dominion empires, the League of Tripoli lurks in the shadows threatening the future. 

I enjoyed the 16.5+ hours I spent reading this 477-page alternate history thriller. I have read three of the fourteen novels in this series and I have enjoyed every one. While you can read this novel stand alone, I would recommend reading these books in order. This edition of the series spreads the story across more characters than I recall in the prior two novels. The story is approaching a conclusion of one of the plot threads, but the series is far from over. I look forward to future novels in this series. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).