It feels nice to finally read and review a Smashwords book for Book a Week. Hope some of you get a chance to poke around that site a bit.
November 11-17: Kindred Spirits by Ashanti Luke
Science Fiction (2010 - 220 pp.)
As a Smashwords author (https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MatthewGordonBooks), I wanted to make sure one of my books I read this year was published there. After some digging, I found one that I thought would be a good fit. If you're interested in reading this book, the author's made it available for free here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25311
Kindred Spirits is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller about a man who goes back in time to save a woman and to get her to kill a deranged evangelist. He also possesses an anti-matter shotgun. There's tons of action, with the narration working well - I could really envision the characters struggling through each shootout. There are plenty, for those interested. The combination of science-fiction and urban/low fantasy works well, with the backdrop of Richmond, Virginia being an atypical setting that Luke makes work. My lone qualms are that the end feels drawn out, although I won't say why for spoiler concerns, and that the characters seem predictable at times. Luke knows the tropes and uses them well, which mitigates the second point.
A couple disclaimers are in order. Firstly, like many self-published books, there are a few typographical and formatting errors. These are thankfully relatively minimal. The other is there is coarse language, violence and graphic sex. Compared to the blood and guts strewn all over White Fang(see my June entry on that very book), this is nothing. Goes to show societal attitudes toward violence versus sex, and toward classic versus modern literature, I suppose. That discussion could be hundreds of pages, though.
Regardless, Kindred Spirits a quick read and a page-turner. For those of us accustomed to heavier reads, it's a nice break.
Ease of Reading: 10
Educational Content: 1
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