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Tales Of Love And Woe
Lawrence Strickland
ISBN: 9780977203451
Blu Phi’er Publishing
Reviewed By Josee Morgan
Official Apex Reviews Rating: Four out of five stars
Composed of two equally compelling short stories, Tales Of Love And Woe presents the reader with vivid accounts of the positive and negative ways in which love often influences us - as well as the unpredictable consequences of each.
In the first offering, “Curse Of The Woman,” young Turrell is the heir apparent of the ever-expanding Turroko Empire. As he cuts his imperial teeth in the heart of gruesome battles and their ensuing political ramifications, he is joined by his trusted cousin, Turron, who stands side-by-side with him through the best and worst of times. However, when Turrell agrees to an arranged marriage in order to solidify a tenuous political alliance, little does he know that Turron has quite the intimate history with his bride-to-be - which ultimately leads to the most disastrous of global consequences.
The second offering in the collection, “Karma,” chronicles the adventures and misadventures of K’angol, an ancient merchant trader with a fierce, ruthless streak. Betrayed by love at the height of his prime, K’angol soon undergoes a series of dramatic reinventions, including slave, master thief, architect, and ultimate monarch - all the while learning invaluable lessons about the mercurial nature of love. In the end, K’angol gains the kind of deep insight and wisdom that can only come from a life thoroughly lived - and not simply studied.
In Tales Of Love And Woe, author Lawrence Strickland has crafted a moving volume of poetic prose sure to tug at the heartstrings of any reader. Though his chosen subjects are larger-than-life personas from long-ago civilizations, the reader will nonetheless identify with the pure emotional and spiritual turmoil they each experience in their endless pursuits of true love and happiness; such are the same pursuits that define all of us, all-too-often guiding our everyday decisions as we make our way down the nebulous path of life.
Though peppered throughout with various grammatical and typographical errors, Tales Of Love And Woe still shines for its cogent storytelling and even more powerful, vivid characters. Kudos to Strickland for crafting such enjoyable, heart-rending tales. info@apexreviews.net Twenty Virgins In Heaven Michael Bernoudy ISBN: 9780982384534 Blu Phi’er Publishing Reviewed By Josee Morgan Official Apex Reviews Rating: Five out of Five Stars Try as he might, Tyrone just can’t seem to win for losing: his New Orleans based private law practice is struggling, his finances are strained, and he knows no peace in his on-again/off-again relationship with Kyvonne, his daughter’s mother. His luck begins to change, though, when a wealthy Arab by the name of Abdullah retains his services in order to prepare wills for a large number of his affluent associates. Asking no questions, Tyrone readily accepts Abdullah’s generous offer - and he’s soon making more money than he could ever imagine...in short, life is good. However, when the attacks of September 11th occur, Tyrone just happens to notice that Abdullah previously had him prepare wills for all 19 of the terrorist hijackers. Furthermore, over the course of the next few years, countless murders and other strange occurrences begin happening all over the city of New Orleans-all of which are mysteriously connected in some way to Abdullah. Before he knows it, Tyrone finds himself caught in the middle of a sinister spiritual plot with consequences that affect not only New Orleans - but the entire world - and he’s forced to take desperate measures to save his own life and those he holds most dear as the pulsing winds of Hurricane Katrina beckon just off the Gulf Coast. Book Two of the Kaleidoscope series, Twenty Virgins In Heaven is a superbly crafted instant classic. In it, author Michael Bernoudy does an outstanding job of combining compelling plotlines with expertly developed characters to tell an imaginative story unlike any the reader may imagine. Furthermore, the tight, fast-paced action of Twenty Virgins is sure to keep you rapt in the throes of Bernoudy’s breath-taking narrative style, leaving you craving even more once the final page is regrettably turned. Complete with elusive vampires, stinging political commentary, and shapeshifting ancient poet-warriors, Twenty Virgins In Heaven is a dynamic literary treat for the mind and heart. Highly recommended.
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