Distant Boundary: Prequel to The COIL Legacy by D. I. Telbat

Distant Boundary: Prequel to The COIL Legacy

In this novella, Distant Boundary, Prequel for The COIL Legacy Series, D.I. Telbat takes us to a distant land where danger knows no boundaries.

Now working for COIL, Agent Titus Caspertein has left the criminal underworld to carry the cross of Christ, but survival has never seemed more unlikely for this new Christian.

Assumed dead after a bungled humanitarian airdrop, Titus fights for his life against hyenas, wild dogs, and isolation in the African savanna.

With two broken limbs, and predators prowling for his blood, Titus relies on a young boy to keep him alive. Unless his wife, Annette, finds him before a heavily armed rhino poacher does, Titus will become a casualty of the Zimbabwe wilderness!

With a Bonus Chapter from Distant Contact, Book One in The COIL Legacy, map downloads, and cover design by Streetlight Graphics, we pray you enjoy this exciting Prequel to The COIL Legacy. And discover there is truly no redemption without sacrifice.

The Guru's Review:  

Having now read this, I can say that this prequel provides a worthy introduction to this new series, COIL Legacy.

It follows on well from Dark Zeal, the last volume of the COIL series. It also follows on from the conversion of Titus in this same last volume. Strategic from Telbat as not showing what happened to him from Dark Zeal would make us wait for a future volume to find out. This break in continuity would take the reader longer to build a rapport with this new character. Telbat has mentioned in the past that we would hearing more from Titus so it seems that he is important to this new series. If this is so, it pays to establish his placement and importance from the start.

For a short story of this length, 82 pages, Telbat succeeds in setting the scene, pace, atmosphere and tension. As a result, I was transported to this hot, dusty, drought stricken Zimbabwean environment.

The plot for this short lends well to the first mission of Titus and his new wife, Annette. I loved the way Telbat showed how the dire circumstances that Titus found himself in tested his faith. The same with Annette. I dislike an author's portrayal of a character's newly found faith in Christ as unchangeable and rock solid. Not so with Telbat. He has depiected faith in his novels as they are in real life. I related to the fact that both Annette and Titus had to learn to trust God to deliver them both from this situation. Their faith waned but both realised they only had God to rely on and it was not in their hands anymore, but His. Showing a character's faith as realistic is what readers will relate to. Reader's who are Christian will relate to this from their own experience. Those who don't will see the Christian living out their faith under these circumstances as non-conventional and even strange. This may encourage them to question why this is (and lead to them closer to God's truth). It may even provoke them to question the validity of their own reaction to the same circumstances.

This is one thing that I have loved about Telbat's COIL novels. His Christian characters are three dimensional and relational, so is their faith. Telbat's depicts Corben, head of the COIL organisation, as one who has a strong faith. This faith is grounded well in Christ, but it is his past that gives his faith a relatable edge and humbles him. It would be tempting to have depicted him as a super spiritual, bible quoting CEO but then he would just be a character in a novel and not a relatable one. I would find it hard to relate to him like this.

I say the same for Titus and Annette. It is their pasts that are making them relatable and their relationship with Christ a humble one. Not only is it due to who Christ is and what He has done for them via the Cross, but it is this past that has made them appreciate this. They know what they are willing to sacrifice for Him. They both make mention of this in the novel.

In novels like these that depict the suffering and persecution of Christians, I suggest that Telbat would have had to make these faith based. Herein lies why his Christian characters show that their faith is worth living out and dying for. It reminds me of the catch phrase and theme of all his novels, "..there is no redemption without sacrifice".

I really enjoyed this short prequel to the COIL Legacy series. My interest is piqued for the rest of the series. I am glad that the next instament Distant Contact is ready for me to enjoy.

Highly Recommended.

To read a sample or buy this novel, click on  Buy or Preview below.

Assault on Saint Agnes by Joseph Courtemanche

Assault on Saint Agnes

When terrorists assault Saint Agnes Chruch in St. Paul, Minnesota, they expect to find a congregation of lambs: they get Bobby Krutz, instead. An unrepentant Cold Warrior, Kurtz destroys the terror cell with violent finality. 

Against his will, Kurtz is pulled back into the life he left behind decades before. He reluctantly picks up the burden of hunting the terrorists in our midst. He risks his life, and his marriage, in a single-minded pursuit of victory over evil.

Working with a shadowy government agency, Kurtz uses all of his skills and experience to fold a plan that would plunge the Twin Cities back into the Stone Age. The final battle rages across the plains during a Christmas Eve blizzard in a story that will leave the reader pleading for more of Kurtz and his team of experts. 

Release date: April 18th, 2016 from Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but an autographed copy is available now at a reduced price from the author's website: Commotion In The Pews

The Guru's Review: 

I was asked by the author to review this novel before its release date and was provided a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. 

I really enjoyed this story. For a debut author, Courtemanche writes well and has a solidly constructed novel. I should not be surprised as the author lists his writing background and "training" in his bio, 

Assault on Saint Agnes is the recipient of the Genesis Award for best-unpublished work in 2015. That was awarded by the American Christian Fiction Writers. Assault on Saint Agnes has also finished second in the Athanatos Ministries Christian Novel Contest, and was a finalist in Operation First Novel. All three contests are highly regarded in the industry. 

Quite an impressive writing resume! This novel is not overly as fast paced as novels of similar genre, but the pace is fast enough to keep you coming back for more. This author definitely knows his subject matter and the novel is built upon the experience the author's career, as described by himself,

.......former Police Officer and Middle East/North Africa analyst....a distinguished veteran of the Naval Security Group of the United States Navy, and an Arabic Linguist with training at the University of Minnesota and the Defense Language Institute (Honors Graduate) .......holds several military awards, including two flag letters of commendation for his work in providing real-time intelligence support to commanders in the field. His experience provides the background that’s crucial to his writing in the thriller genre. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and holds degrees from two other colleges as well. 

Seeing this novel revolves around Bobby Kurtz, it pays that Courtemanche has depicted him very relatable and one who the reader becomes endeared to. Somehow, I feel that Bobby is based somewhat on the author seeing that this main protagonist is depicted in an environment based on the author's past career. I can see nothing wrong with this and it definitely adds depth, and character to this "character"!

Courtemanche also portrays well the interpersonal relationships between Bobby's fellow agents and the hierarchy of this organization including their procedures and protocols. Again his past experience shines here and adds to the realistic feel of this novel including any action, suspense and intrigue. It sure does draw you in! This author really shines in creating the special ops plot and genre and he translates this past experience and expertise brilliantly. 

Courtemanche's research also extends to the terrorist plot line including the Muslim ideology and mindset for revenge, death, and destruction as part of following the Koran and its directives towards the American infidels. This is depicted well and shows the hatred towards the American people. I have read enough of these types of novels to know that how Courtemanche has depicted this is close to reality.

I am not a great fan of the romance genre either secular or Christian based, but when romance is included as part of the plot or a subplot, I do enjoy it, especially when it is written by a male author and a Christian one at that. I loved the romance created by Courtemanche between Bobby and his wife Grace, it shines of what Christian married love should be and needs to be. I look forward to more romance from this author as I feel he does this well and shows great potential for developing this further in future novels.

This is one very clean read, no sex or sexual innuendo, swearing, but there is violence and I feel in a novel like this you cannot get away with leaving this out, this is the reality of this type of plot as it does reflect real life. There are themes of redemption, sacrifice and relying on God but I would have preferred these to have been more obvious and developed as to their Christian/biblical source and the main character showing more of his faith in the events of this novel. There is great opportunity for the Christian worldview to be expressed in more detail here and it would have enhanced this novel better and taken it away from it being viewed as a clean read. As it is, it does not stand out as obvious Christian fiction until you get to the end of the novel. 

Here, what I am talking about is evident and very obvious in this scene that is very Christian/biblical orientated and presents the Gospel beautifully, and Courtemanche's love of his God shines through here. It shows the power of the Cross in changing a heart of hate and evil indoctrination towards God and the power of His might and Spirit to bring him into a right relationship with God, taking him from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. Very powerful and I don't see this as preachy or as bible bashing the reader. It fits in very well with the plot. 

This scene ends this novel really well and I can see the potential for Courtemanche to include more of these redemptive and spirit filled elements throughout the plot of his future novels. I feel that Christian fiction needs to stand out as such without bible bashing, preaching and turning readers away from the Gospel but rather pointing them towards this Gospel and its author. I can see that Courtemanche has great potential to do this in future novels.

I am very much looking forward to future novels from this very promising and talented author. 

Strongly Recommended

World building 4/5

Characters 4/5

Story 4/5

Spiritual level 3/5

Spiritual Enemy Level N/A

Average Rating: 4/5

A Dodge, A Twist and a Tobacconist (The Alexnder Legacy, Book 1) by Sophronia Belle Lyon

A Dodge, a Twist and a Tobacconist (The Alexander Legacy)

Florizel of Bohemia tries to live a quiet life as a London tobacconist. The mysterious gypsy beauty who invites him to a late-night meeting in the Bronze Cascade Hotel seems desperate for his help, but what can be a life-or-death matter to a socialite singer? An eccentric little inventor, calling himself by the absurd name of Oliver Twist, comes to collect him in a curious old mail coach. It only becomes an airship after it's too late for Florizel to disembark.

How can a former street orphan, a Texas Cowgirl who rode a Giant Catfish across the Atlantic, a world-traveling abolitionist bearing "the Flail of God", a quiet country clergyman, a jungle tracker, and a Chinese merchant, track down a shadowy slave master who trains pickpocket slashers and fills freighter holds with human cargo bound for ports around the Empire? A poison maiden gives Florizel a kiss and an ominous warning: "Some ruler will rise and take the throne of a true Empire where the sun never sets and where the people will never be free."

The Guru's Review:

The genre of steampunk of this novel is a first for me. I have a few steampunk novels in my To Be Read shelf and this is the first of them I have read. 

Steampunk is generally defined as, 

1. a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology.

However, there are more specific definitions applied to this genre such as, 

Medieval Steampunk: Speculative fiction set during the Middle Ages.

Victorian Steampunk: A modern Science Fiction work (post-1930s) that is set in the early parts of the industrial revolution.

Western Steampunk: Science fiction set in the American Old West.

Industrial/Modern Steampunk: Science fiction taking place in the late industrial age, early modern age; i.e. World War 1, World War 2

(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=steampunk) 

In this novel, Belle Lyon deals with steampunk set in London in the Victorian era (Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death, on 22 January 1901) despite the time frame set before the above definition of Victorian Steampunk (post 1930's).

Despite the steam powered machinery such as a flying machine and submarine, and other non steam powered machinery such as a glider, computer tablet (hinted as having similar functions to an iPad/android tablet) and adjustable lens glasses, that were not invented in this time, their inclusion and use in this novel and time period fits well into this story and it may sound strange but adds a sense of fun. I chuckled many times as I imagined this technology being used as described in this novel amidst this era when we know in reality this was not the case. If this steampunk element is what makes steampunk a genre, then I have become a fan! 

Having technology in an era or time when it would just not have been also reminds me of another series that I have read that is not steampunk by the above definition but it did contain advanced technology such as phones, cars, pizza for example. This series is from Kel Richards, one example being the Case of the Vanishing Corpse, set in Jesus time, and involves a private investigator hired to find the missing (albeit resurrected) body of Christ. That, like this novel, was a lot of fun and also made me laugh having police cars, using the phone to call for pizza etc in solving the case of the missing body of Christ. I find the mixing of this steampunk characteristics and/or advanced technology in these two novels a very clever idea and it works well. 

The other factor about the use of this steam powered machinery and other aforementioned technology in this novel is that it does add to the suspense and plot development.  An example of this is the character of Spring Heeled Jack and his use of the glider to infiltrate the home of the Alexander Legacy and the suspense this caused when Florizel launched himself off the roof onto this glider and then later after Oliver Twist has repaired it and Florizel used it to fly to London. This really was a great example of the use of this technology and how well it moved the plot along. 

Another element that made me laugh/chuckle throughout the novel is the inclusion of the characters from various other novels who form the Legacy and how they, despite their human or animal form, different cultural differences and background all come together and work as a unified team with their various talents and abilities (and accents, try "reading" the accent of Sluefoot Sue!!) to rid London of the organised crime of petty thieves who are under the control of Dodge. Anyone who is familiar with Oliver Twist can join the dots and identify who Dodge is here. But is it just the case of finding and exposing Dodge for who he is? In this instalment is this all there is to it? Read and find out!! 

Based on what I have written so far, this novel is fun! Very entertaining without detracting from the main motive of the plot which is to expose Dodge and destroy his organised crime syndicate of petty thieves and people smuggling.

I grew up with Mowgli and Bagheera, and Oliver Twist. Loved their respective novels and them as characters. I was totally unfamiliar of the rest of the Legacy members from their respective novels only because I have not read the novels from whence they came: 

Prince Florizel of Bohemia (The New Arabian Nights by Robert Loius Stevenson), 

Zambo (The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), 

Sluefoot Sue, (married to Pecos Bill by Edward O'Reilly)

Fun See Tokiyo, (Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott)

Edward Ferrars, (Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen)

Phoebe Morre-Campbell (Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott)  

Rose (Bloom by Louisa May Alcott).

I found invaluable the notes provided by Sophronia in the Afterword at the end of the novel. Here is an example of Sophronia's motive for writing this novel, 

When I watched the movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I had great expectations.....since it included some of my favorite literary characters. I was disappointed, however, because I didn't feel the characters bore much resemblance to the originals. So I resolved to create my own league of classic fictional characters and try to be more true to the spirit, if not always the letter, of these beloved imaginary heroes and heroines.

I started with certain criteria: One, they had to have "lived" in or near the Victorian era, since that was my chosen setting. Most of my favorites lived in 1800s anyway. Two, they had to be people of strong, good moral character. Three, I wanted some racial and cultural diversity. Four, I needed to be able to use at least some of the original character's "true" book story as a jumping-off point for my story.  

This example and the entire Afterword gives a look into the mindset of the author and where she is coming from, why she chose these characters, but more importantly, why she wrote this novel and its sequel. This gives credibility to the story and how it is constructed and what she set out to achieve and I feel she has been successful in this. There are some very good plot developments and twists and Sophronia ties it all together well so by the end of the novel, you are content, satisfied, and look back and laugh at the journey you have just traveled. Knowing there is a sequel just adds to this satisfaction and you want to explore this next instalment just to see what happens next as your interest and curiosity has been more than piqued and how Sophronia is going to continue the plot lines..  

The spiritual elements in this novel fit in well too. Sophronia is writing from a Christian perspective so she has depicted her characters as being Christian. Florizel is depicted as being led by the Spirit in his dealing with Kera and her subsequent conversion to Christianity and he showed no hesitancy when he finally caught up with the Dodge at the end of the novel and offered him Christ's salvation. This is just two examples of the Christian side of this novel Having all the characters in the Alexander Legacy as Christians and the motivation of Legacy to fight this increasing crime wave from the moral and justice side of Christianity seems to be a binding force behind this novel. 

All in all, a fun and enjoyable steampunk adventure from an author strongly influenced by the classics she grew up with and who successfully translates these characters into another world inspired by her vivid imagination. 

Strongly Recommended.