Reckless Faith

[grampster]

One of our great members, Devonai, has written a slam bang science fiction adventure story. This amatuer review by a guy who likes to read SF and adventure is on topic because there are guns and they figure prominently in the story. Devonai knows the difference between a clip and a magazine.

I'm not a book reviewer and Devonai hasn't paid me. (But he should, heh) I read books for enjoyment and to escape from the real world a bit. I like SF and and have read it for many, many years. I don't get caught up in the minutiae, the bailiwick of the pro reviewers. I just like a good story.

Reckless Faith is simply fun to read. It's SF at it's best, with a great adventure thrown in. Devonai, David Kantrowicz, has the ability to use his words to start a movie in your head. Three friends, and alien intelligence, pets, the CIA, DIA, guns and a stalker. Is there room for one more on board? I hope there is a sequel. This is a story where one has to resist the temptation to speed read a page because you can't wait to see what is going happen next. At the same time one wants to savor each page because you don't want to get to the end too soon.

If you sit up late and gaze at the stars and wonder, then this book is for you because the fantasy comes true for the protagonists. Get the book.

 

[CB900F]

Grampster;

OK, I'd like to. Where is it available? By that I mean is it in major circulation, Barnes & Starbucks, Hastings, the major type of bookstores? Or is it a special order at this time? If so, how does one order?

Alien Intelligences want to know.

900F

 

[grampster]

Amazon.com or PM devonai.
Published by Infinity Publishing (.com)

 

[grampster]

I forgot to mention Devonai is the author David Kantrowitz.

 

[Car Knocker]

I forgot to mention Devonai is the author David Kantrowitz.

It was in your first post:

Devonai, David Kantrowicz, has the ability to use his words to start a movie in your head.

By the way, which is the correct spelling?

 

[grampster]

Err, beer, kailbasa....keyboard? Kantrowitz.

 

[Devonai]

Thank you very much for the favorable review!

I am sorry for the egregious cliffhanger ending, but I intended for the sequel to be published by now. I decided to run off and go through Army basic training first. It will be out by October.

Just to make sure this thread is undeniably gun-related, the main characters carry the Beretta 92FS, Glock 17, S&W 625 (model of 1989), H&K USP .45, M1 Garand, Remington 870, Springfield Armory M1A, and Colt M4 5.56mm Carbine. And those are just the good guys!

The book is indeed available on Amazon.com, but also Borders.com and Barnes and Noble's website. You can order it through Infinity too, of course.

 

[Koos Custodiet]

Hey Devonai and all.

Sorry to be a bit of a party pooper, but I bought the book and finally got around to reading it and... it's not as good, IMO, as others say...

I guess for a first book it's not bad, and you have some great sub-plots and themes and the like, but there are some serious lapses, plot holes, and just plain unaccounted for "magic" to make things work.

*spoilers ahead*





-- If people are using their credit cards one would assume the authorities would be all over them -- you mention the credit card thing a few places but then you don't follow up.
-- If you can transport things from A to B (I'm trying to not give too much away here) you can do that to bank notes and then get 1:1 on office supplies.
-- actually the whole ratio thing is a bit shaky... Although I can understand the need to limit the thing to the inanimate.
-- guns can fire in vacuum without oxygen. Other things will however be way problematic -- lubrication for one, temperature for another (cold metal is brittle).
-- with the speed they have, why not relocate to a completely different part of the country? That's the first thing I'd do.
-- I found one "it's" in place of "its", but that's a minor quibble (I just found a "principle" in place of "principal" in _Codelia's Honor_

So yea, keep writing, I want to know where this story is going... but work at it.

 

[Yosemite**Sam]

I really liked the book. I received it about a year and a half ago. Never saw this post until now.

To add to the book David is a great guy. I purchased a M1 Garand from him a while ago and he was strictly professional in handling the transaction. David is also serving us through the military. Thanks again for your service.

 

[Jim Watson]

A club member here was passing around both Reckless Hope and The Tarantula Nebula. Passable yarns, but instead of "If Robert Heinlein and Douglas Adams had been in charge of an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of typewriters, they might have written this." they remind me more of The Skylark of Space with modern dialogue. Or maybe an Edmund Hamilton story.

 

[Roswell 1847]

A friend is producing a motion picture based on " PEACE BE WITH YOU" by author Raimondo Salomone.
Can't say much about it yet. They are not letting out much in detail till the film is released.

 

[Devonai]

KC, Sam, and Jim, thank you very much for reading my books. It is always great to hear from people, fans or not. I'm happy for any praise at all, even if it is as weak as "it wasn't a waste of time."

KC, I appreciate any and all feedback on my writing. If I don't receive any criticism I'll never improve beyond a certain point. I could respond to your points after the fact, but that would only make me feel better and it wouldn't improve the book. I will review your points as I haven't considered most of them before, and if I decide to release a 2nd Edition I will make improvements as necessary. There are other minor problems I would like to correct as well.

I would like to point out that it is said that the gun systems are contained within force fields, which while it isn't explicitly stated would seem to imply that they are safe from the vacuum of space. I can address that specific point in the third book, since there will be an opportunity for the crew to introduce new characters to the ship's weapons systems.

The Tarantula Nebula is available now and I believe it is of better quality than the original. If you like the characters from the first book I am certain you will enjoy it. They are in for a rough ride in the second installment. Again, thank you for your feedback. If you have time, I would very much appreciate a review on Amazon.com (they say there's no such thing as bad press!).

Jim, I have never read any of Doc Smith's stuff, but upon your recommendation I will check him out. Ditto on Edmund Hamilton.

 

[fastbolt]

Okay then ...

Being an avid reader of science fiction ... (I bought my first science fiction paperbacks through the bookclub in elementary school, for 25 & 35 cents) ... I'll look for a copy of your work.

While I tend to prefer a character-driven story which is interesting in and of itself, without relying on hardware, gadgets, whiz-bang tech gear and shoot'em up scenes just for the sake of mindless violence ... I do tend to be a bit finicky regarding technical accuracy when it comes to weapons of any sort, martial arts, violent encounters and tactics/strategy.

I appreciate a sense of humor, as well.

Actually, I prefer that to the inclusion of a lot of hardware.

Maybe I'll fire up the bike and ride down to the local Borders to look for a copy right now, and stop off at the cigar lounge to enjoy a couple of cigars and see how the story reads.

Best regards,
fb

 

[fastbolt]

Hmmm.

Being mindful of the Holiday traffic, especially on a black bike in the twilight, I decided to call a couple of the local bookstores.

Well, after calling 2 Borders Books stores and 2 Barnes & Noble stores, they all agree that these books are available on an as-ordered basis, and that they don't stock them in the stores. What's up with that?

Guess I'll just be enjoying a cigar after rumbling around in the winter weather ...

Granted, the cost of ordering the pair of the books is only what a Graycliff Amethyst Label Chateau Gran Cru Salomon cigar costs ...

I ordered both books. Hope they're as good as the cigar.

 

[Devonai]

Well, they're more expensive than the Arturo Fuente Gran Reservas that I consider "top shelf!"

Thank you very much for your business. As explanation, the books are published as "print on demand," which means unless the manager of a brick and mortar bookstore wants one on the shelf, you won't find it there.

Your comments hit the nail right on the head. These books are character driven stories, and while I strive to keep the technical aspects accurate, I will often glaze over them in favor of a simpler explanation or in order to avoid mind-numbing mathematics beyond my comprehension. For example, there are Lorentz equations that will calculate exactly how much time dilation would occur given the variables stated in my books, but I can't sort them out.

The ship gets them where they need to go, with enough technology to keep them alive. Accomplishing the mission is something else entirely. I hope you enjoy the ride.

 

[fastbolt]

If you like the Fuente line, and don't mind a medium-to-strong (but veeeerrrrry smooth) maduro, this is the right time of year to try and find one of the Anejo releases. I'd recommend the Anejo 77, more commonly referred to as "The Shark". Small but excellent. Limited release each fall. For the experienced cigar smoker who enjoys a cigar with a well-aged Single Malt. (This is the kind of cigar which justifies breaking out the 18-37 year old stuff. )

I'm looking forward to the books (supposed to arrive sometime after Christmas). I tried a couple of other bookstores over the hill this afternoon, just out of curiosity, since I fired up the bike for the afternoon to take advantage of the dry & decently warm winter weather. Just as well I didn't find any copies, since I actually got a discount on the pair and free shipping at Amazon, huh?

I can understand refraining from risking putting a lot of readers to sleep with cutting edge physics and math. The writers of STTNG achieved a nice balance in that respect, still making most scripts character-driven, but Firefly & Serenity were more downright fun for most folks.

 

[Jim Watson]

"Jim, I have never read any of Doc Smith's stuff, but upon your recommendation I will check him out. Ditto on Edmund Hamilton.

I still enjoy E.E. Smith, PhD, but Hamilton's stuff of the same years was pretty rudimentary. His later stories were more along what we expect these days, but they do not have the zing of Smith's. His science was usually pretty fictional, just plot drivers. On the other hand, you always have the impression that with just a little more information than Smith provides, you could build your own Bergenholm inertialess drive. And I know for sure that if one breaks down, I probably need to replace the No 6 lead because it is burned off just where it clears the pilaster.